Photosynthesis and Respiration

Autotrophic Nutrition in Plants

Leaves are the food factories of plants. They are the sites where the synthesis of food
occurs in plants.

But why do only leaves manufacture food for plants? What process is involved in the
synthesis of food?

The leaves of plants contain a green pigment called chlorophyll. This pigment captures
the sun’s energy, which is used to prepare food from carbon dioxide and water. The
process of synthesis of food using sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water is known as
photosynthesis.

Since solar energy is essential for plants to prepare food, we can say that sun is the
ultimate source of energy for plants.

What happens during photosynthesis? During the process of photosynthesis, the leaves
containing chlorophyll convert carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates in the
presence of sunlight. This process can be represented in the form of the following
equation:

Carbohydrates, which are produced during photosynthesis, are ultimately converted into
starch to be stored in plants.
Know Your Scientists:

Year 1770 1779 1854

Name of scientist Joseph Priestley Jan Ingenhousz Julius Von Sachs

Discovered that the

Concluded that air Concluded that
chlorophyll is located in
is necessary for the sunlight is essential
special bodies called
growth of a plant. for plant processes
chloroplast. Green
Discovery/Finding He discovered the that purify the air. He
parts of plants are
fact that plants also discovered that
where glucose is made,
restore oxygen in the green parts of
which is stored as
the air. plants release oxygen.
starch.

Curiosity Corner:
Now, not all leaves are green in colour. Does photosynthesis take place in these leaves
too?
Yes, Leaves which are not green in colour also contain chlorophyll. They are not green in
colour because they contain other pigments such as red, brown, yellow etc, which mask
the green colour of leaves.
Can you tell why potted plants are advised to be placed in well-lit areas?
Plants require sunlight to manufacture food. Without sunlight, photosynthesis cannot take
place in plants, and can even lead to the death of plants. Hence, it is advisable to place
potted plants in areas receiving sufficient sunlight.

Let us perform the following activity to test the production of food in plants.

We now know that plants require water and carbon dioxide, in the presence of sunlight,
to carry out photosynthesis. How are raw materials supplied to plants?

The tiny pores found on the underside of leaves are called stomata. It allows the entry
of CO2 from the atmosphere so that it can be used for photosynthesis and releases the
oxygen produced by the plants.
Structure of stomata:
Stomata are small openings present on the lower surface of leaves. These openings are
surrounded by two bean shaped cells called guard cells. These guard cells contain
chloroplast. In guard cells, the outer wall is thin while the inner wall is thick.

Regulation of stomata:
Opening and closing of stomata is regulated by these guard cells. During day time, in
the presence of sunlight, water moves into the guard cells making them to swell up.
As they swell up, their outer thin walls bulge outward, as a result of which the inner
walls move apart from each other. This results in the opening of stomata.

During night, the water moves out of the guard cells which makes them flaccid. This
causes the inner walls to come together, as a result of which stomata closes.

Do you know the cell organelle of the plant cell that carries out the process of
photosynthesis? It is chloroplast.

Chloroplast is divided into two regions namely, grana and stroma.

In the grana region, reactions which depend on sunlight take place. These reactions are
also known as light dependent or light reactions. In these reactions, water molecules
break down into oxygen and hydrogen ions on absorption of energy from sunlight.

Plants release oxygen gas in this phase and chemical energy obtained from light energy
is stored in the form of ATP. This chemical energy is required in the preparation of
starch in the reactions independent of light.
 In the stroma region, light independent or dark reactions take place in which chemical
energy produced in the grana region is used to convert carbon dioxide into starch.

Photosynthesis is affected by various factors, such as:

• Light: Photosynthesis can occur only up to a certain level of concentration of light.

Above that level of light, chlorophyll is destroyed and photosynthesis is affected.

• Temperature: At higher temperatures, photosynthesis does not take place and similarly
at lower temperatures the rate of photosynthesis is less.

• CO2: CO2 levels also affect the rate at which photosynthesis is carried out. Low levels of
CO2 means lower rate of photosynthesis.

Experiments Related to Photosynthesis

We know that raw materials are utilized by plants to prepare food. Do plants prepare
food at all times? Are there any essential conditions required for photosynthesis?

1. Sunlight is essential for photosynthesis

Place a healthy green potted plant in a dark room for 1-2 days. This is done to ensure
that the plant consumes all its reserve food and the leaves do not contain any starch.
Then, cover a portion of a leaf of this plant on both sides with two uniform pieces of
black paper, fixed in position with two paper clips.

Now, expose this plant to bright light. After a few hours, remove the leaf, decolourize it
with alcohol, and test the presence of food (starch) with iodine solution.

You will observe that the portion of the leaf covered with black paper does not show any
presence of starch (food).

Explanation of the activity:

The food prepared by plants (carbohydrates) through the process of photosynthesis is

stored as starch. This starch reacts with the iodine solution to change to blue-black
colour. Only those portions of the leaf that were exposed to sunlight could
photosynthesise and hence, change to blue-black colour when tested with iodine.
2. Chlorophyll is essential for photosynthesis

Place a variegated plant (i.e., a plant which has both green and non-green areas, for
e.g., croton or money plant) in a dark room for 2 – 3 days. This is done to ensure that all
the reserve food (starch) is utilized.

Place this plant in sunlight for six hours to allow photosynthesis to take place.

Then, pluck a leaf from this plant and trace the green areas on a sheet of paper.

Now, decolourize the leaf using alcohol and dip it in a dilute solution of iodine for a few
minutes. Wash this leaf with water and compare it with the tracings of the leaf done
earlier.

It will be observed that only the green areas of the leaf could photosynthesize.

Explanation:

The leaf is treated with alcohol so that it loses its green colour (chlorophyll pigment) and
blue-black colour (in presence of starch) obtained after treatment with iodine.

The green parts of a variegated leaf contain chlorophyll. Therefore, only these parts
could photosynthesize and manufacture food. Thus, the change in colour was observed
only in these parts.

3. CO2 is essential for photosynthesis

Select two healthy potted plants of nearly the same size and label them
as A and B. Place them in a dark room for 2-3 days. Then, place two glass plates under
both the plants. Place a watch-glass containing potassium hydroxide besides pot A.

Cover both the plants by inverting separate bell jars over them. Potassium hydroxide, as
we know, is used to absorb CO2. Therefore, CO2 is not available for plant A.

Now, seal the bottom of the jars to the glass plates with the help of Vaseline. This
prevents the entry of CO2 into the set up. Then, place the plants under sunlight for 2 – 3
hours.

Test one leaf each from both plants for the presence of starch, using alcohol and iodine
(as explained in the previous activity). It will be observed that plant B has a higher
amount of starch as compared to plant A.

Explanation of the activity:

This happens because potassium hydroxide present besides plant A absorbs all the
CO2. Therefore, plant A is not able to photosynthesize and manufacture food. Hence,
the amount of starch present in plant B is higher than plant A.

Photosynthesis in a laboratory

Place an aquatic plant (hydrilla) in a beaker filled with water. Cover the plant with a
transparent funnel. Then, invert a test tube over the open end of the funnel.
While inverting the test tube, make sure it does not contain any air bubbles. Place this
apparatus in sunlight and observe the changes.

It will be observed that after sometime, air bubbles (O2) emerge in the test tube.

Aerobic and Anaerobic Respiration

You know that all activities performed by the body require energy. Where does the
body get energy from? The food we eat contains stored energy.

How is the energy stored in food released to be used by the body?

You know that during the process of breathing, we take in air. Oxygen is taken in, while
carbon dioxide is released out of the body during breathing. Oxygen is then circulated to
all cells of the body. Food (glucose) is broken down in the cells with the help of oxygen.

The process in which food is broken down in the cells to release energy is known
as cellular respiration.

Have you ever wondered what will happen if no or very little oxygen is available
to cells? Will the process of cellular respiration stop?

Two types of respiration take place in the cells. One occurs in the presence of oxygen,
while the other occurs in the absence of it. The process of breakdown of food (glucose)
in the presence of oxygen is known as aerobic respiration. It takes place in all
organisms and leads to the production of carbon dioxide, water, and energy.
Food is also broken down in the absence of oxygen. This process is known
as anaerobic respiration. It occurs in organisms such as yeast. This process leads to
the production of alcohol and carbon dioxide.

Difference between Aerobic and Anaerobic respiration

Aerobic respiration Anaerobic respiration

It occurs in the presence of O2. It occurs in the absence of O2.

It involves the exchange of gases

between an organism and outside Exchange of gases is absent.
environment.

It occurs in the cytoplasm and

It occurs only in the cytoplasm.
mitochondria.

It always releases CO2 and H2O. End products may vary.

It yields 38 ATP. It yields 2 ATP.

Example: Cells in our body Example: Yeast and muscle cells

Have you experienced pain in your arms or legs after exercising for a long time?

When you exercise, your body experiences a temporary deficiency of oxygen and the
muscle cells begin to undergo anaerobic respiration to provide energy to the body. This
leads to the production and accumulation of lactic acid, which leads to muscle cramps
and pain in the body.
Do you know why yeast is used for preparing wine and beer?

Yeast performs the process of anaerobic respiration, which leads to the production of
alcohol by incomplete breakdown of sugar. It is for this reason that yeast is used in the
production of wine and beer.

How do we confirm that carbon dioxide is produced during respiration?

Let us perform the following activity to find out.

Yeast in a beaker

Take some yeast in a beaker with sugar solution. Close the lid of the beaker and pass a
glass tube from the beaker into another beaker containing lime water.

What do you observe? What process do you think is responsible for this
observation?

Lime water turns milky in the presence of carbon dioxide. This is the standard test for
checking the presence of carbon dioxide. This test indicates that the process of
respiration occurs in yeast, which leads to the release of carbon dioxide gas in the
beaker.

The anaerobic conversion of sugar to carbon dioxide and alcohol by yeast is

called fermentation.

Respiration in Plants

Do you think plants also respire like other organisms? If so, then how do plants
take in oxygen?

Just like all other living organisms, plants too respire. They respire through the tiny
pores on the surface of their leaves called stomata. Oxygen enters the plant, while
carbon dioxide leaves the plant through these pores.
The roots of plants also respire.

They do so by taking in oxygen from the air spaces present in soil by the process of
diffusion. Oxygen is taken in and carbon dioxide moves out with the help of diffusion
only. This type of gaseous exchange takes place in the younger roots only, and not in
the older roots.

In the older roots, the exchange of gases occurs by lenticels. The lenticels are thin
walled loosely arranged cells with intercellular spaces present for gaseous exchange.

In plants growing in mangroves or saline swamps, the root is modified

to pneumatophores. They bear breathing pores (lenticels) and emerge out of the soil
for gaseous exchange.

In some trees, the trunk of the trees bear small openings called lenticels. Through
these openings in the bark, gaseous exchange takes place. The lenticels look like scars
on the tree bark.

The part of oxygen that is produced by the plant in photosynthesis is utilized by the
plant for breathing and rest of the oxygen is given out by plants through stomata which
we use for breathing.

Can you tell why farmers are advised against adding too much water to their
fields?

They are advised to do so because too much water fills up the air spaces present in soil
by replacing the air in it. Lack of oxygen can lead to the death of plants.
My potted plant!

Take a potted plant and keep watering it continuously for a week with more than the
required amount of water.

What do you observe after a week? Does the plant survive? What is the reason behind
your observation?

You will observe that the plant does not look healthy. This is because excess water
blocks the pores of soil and does not allow oxygen to enter the plant body.

Large forests are called the ‘lungs of the world’ because the oxygen produced by plants
is used by humans and animals for respiration.

Activities

Activity 1

Aim - To demonstrate anaerobic respiration.

Procedure

1. Take about 6-7 germinating seeds of pea or gram and remove their outer layer (testa)

so that diffusion of CO2 from the seeds takes place.

2. Invert a test tube filled with mercury over a petri dish half filled with mercury.

3. Introduce the germinating seeds in the test tube with the help of forceps. The seeds
will move to the top of the test tube. We name this set up as A.
4. Prepare other set up B in the same manner as set up A, but taking germinating seeds
which have been killed by boiling. This set up serves as the control experiment.

5. Keep both the set ups (A and B) for a few hours and then observe.

Observation
Level of mercury in set up A falls while in set up B it remains as such.

Explanation
Carbon dioxide gas liberated in set up A has pushed down the mercury.

In set up B, no gas is produced.

To check that the gas liberated is carbon dioxide introduced a crystal of potassium
hydroxide in tube of set up A. The mercury level will again rise, indicating that the gas
carbon dioxide is produced during anaerobic respiration.

Activity 2

Aim - To demonstrate aerobic respiration or to demonstrate that green plants

produce CO2 during aerobic respiration.

Procedure

1. Take a small potted green plant and cover it with a bell jar.

2. Connect the bell jar on both sides with U-glass tubes to test tube/conical flasks
containing lime water.

3. Vaseline is applied to make the set up air free.

4. Cover the bell jar with a black cloth, to prevent photosynthesis. So, CO2 evolved
during respiration will not be consumed in photosynthesis.
5. Introduce air into the apparatus with the help of an air pump and pass it first through
soda lime. The soda lime will absorb any CO2 present in the incoming air. As a result,
when the air passes through the lime water in test tube A, it does not turn milky.

6. The air free from CO2 enters the bell jar and comes in contact with the green plant.

7. The air from the bell jar now enters the test tube B containing lime water. The test
tube B is also attached to the air pump.

Observation
It turns milky

Explanation
Lime water turns milky because the air coming from the bell jar contains CO 2 (while the
air entering the bell jar is free from CO2). This shows that CO2 is produced by green
plants during respiration.

Differences between Photosynthesis and Respiration

Photosynthesis Respiration
Occurs in cells that have chlorophyll Occurs in all living cells
Occurs in the presence of light only Can occur all the time
Manufactures food Breaks down food
Uses carbon dioxide and water Uses oxygen and glucose
Liberates carbon dioxide as one of the end
Liberates oxygen as one of the end products
products

Now as we have studied all the aspects of respiration in plants, can you figure out
some differences between respiration in plants and animals?

Respiration in Plants Respiration in Animals

Respiratory gases are transported across the
Respiratory gases travel by simple diffusion.
body through blood.
End products of anaerobic respiration End products of anaerobic respiration include
include ethanol. lactic acid.

Lesser amount of heat is produced. More amount of heat is produced.