Equations

The Equation for photosynthesis is:

Carbon Dioxide + Water–>light energy from the sun –> Glucose + Oxygen

Biomass is how much there is of a plant/organism without any water. The biomass of a plant realtes to how much of it there is because the more photosynthesis a plant does then the more food it has to produce energy and use for growth. Photosynesis is the way in which plants make food, respiration is the release of energy from the food. Respiration however is not only done by plants but by animals. Respiration is performed by plants mainly at night, when photosynthesis cannot be performed due to no sunlight, it however still occurs in the day, but not as much.

Leaves

You can test a leaf for starch by using iodine. You place the leaf in boiling water for one minute to soften it up, then place it in a test tube of ethanol, and then again in hot water for a minute. All of this should be done in beakers over a bunsen burner. Once this is done you should wash the leaf off in cold water. To test the leaf for starch place it on a petri dish and cover it with iodine. If the brown iodine turns blue/black then the test is possitive, but if the leaf remains brown then the leaf is negative for starch.

A stomata peel is where you paint a square of nail varnish onto a leaf.This can be done . This is then peeled off and you can examine it under a microscope. Under the microscope you should be able to see from the underside of the leaf, raised bits of nail varnish where there are holes called Stomata. There should be none, of these on the top side of the leaf.

The stomata peel is useful because it explains to us that the stomata are only on the underside of the leaf. This can help us understand some of the adaption’s leaves have. Leaves are adapted to their functions because they are green allowing them to absorb the suns energy with chlorophyll. They have stomata on the bottom side to reduce the amount of water lost in transpiration. They have a large surface area so that they can absorb more energy from the sun.

Transpiration

The transpiration stream is when water is lost from the stomata via evaporation. Transpiration is greatest when the weather is hot and sunny. A potometer is used to measure the amount of water taken up the stalk of a cut shoot. A bubble is introduced into the system, which moves along as water is taken up by the plant. 

A root hair is long and circular so that it can have a greater surface area, and it is long so that it can take in lots of water, and firmly hold the plant in place. The xylem carries up to the leaves the water and neutrients it needs to carry out photosynthesis. It also therefore carries some of the water that will be lost in transpiration. The phloem carries away dissolved foods. They also carry hormones for cell division and growth. They are connected to photosynthesis because they carry the dissolved food made to other parts of the plant.

Mineral Requirements

If nitrogen is deficient plants may have yellow leaves, and have their growth stunted, reduced grain numbers. It is mainly used for growth.

If magnesium is used to form chlorophyll, and so if it is deficient in-between vein leaves there is yellowing  and marbled effect, fruits become small and woody.

If phosphorous is deficient leaves turn blue green, and fruits are small and acidic, veins and stems may turn purple. Phosphorous is used to form neucleic acids such as DNA and RNA. And also the storage and use of energy.