Plants
and Photosynthesis
Name: _________________
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1
Date: ________________
Let’s revise the parts of
the plant.
Look at the names of the parts carefully. Then turn to the next
page and fill in the parts of the plant. Try not to peep at this page.
When you have filled it all in look back and mark your own work.
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Date: ________________
_______________________
_______________________
________
_______
___________________
_______________________
_____________
___________________
________________________
_
_________________________
___________________
___________________________
_____________
______________________________
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Match the parts of the plant with the work they do – their
FUNCTION. Draw a line from the part of the plant to the function.
Produces food for the
plant because it
contains chlorophyll
Causes the plant to
grow in length by
producing a shoot at the
top of the plant.
Holds the leaf out in
a good position to
trap sunlight
This part of
the plant
absorbs
carbon
dioxide from
the air.
This grows into a
side shoot and
often produces
flowers and more
leaves.
This is an area of
cells that are
actively growing
This root grows sideways
and makes the plant stand
firmly in the ground. It gives
it extra stability in the
ground. There are many of
them and they increase the
quantity of water that can be
absorbed by the plant.
This root grows deep into the
ground and anchors the plant firmly
in the ground so that it does not
blow over.
The root hairs
absorb water and
mineral salts from
the soil.
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Read the functions of the plant on the previous
page and then answer the following questions.
Put a circle around the correct answer
1. Which part of the plant contains chlorophyll?
flower
leaf
root
2. Which part of the plant anchors it firmly into the soil so
that it cannot blow over?
stem
roots
leaves
3. Which part of the plant increases the surface area that can
absorb water for the plant?
roots
stems
flowers
4. What do we call the cells that are actively growing on the
stem?
nodes
internodes
cells
5. Which part holds the leaf in a good position for light?
stem
petiole
leaf blade
Find these words
in the word search
to help you to learn
to spell them.
6. Which part of the plant produces side shoots?
root system
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CHLOROPHYLL
NODE
INTERNODE
AXILLARY
LATERAL
PRIMARY
PETIOLE
BLADE
LEAF
ANCHOR
ABSORPTION
STABILITY
APICAL
SUNLIGHT
SYSTEM
QUANTITY
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Here’s a bit more revision. Do you remember
all the parts of the flower?
Take a good
look at the
names of the
parts of the
flower. Do
you
remember
these names?
After having a
good look,
cover this
picture and
then fill in the
names on the
picture below.
Colour the
picture in.
When you have filled in all the names
look back and check your answers and
the spellings.
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How do plants make food ?
Plants make their own food in their leaves. They do not get food from the soil or from
water. The leaves can make food for the plant because they are green. The green
chemical in a leaf is called CHLOROPHYLL. Plants make food in a process called
PHOTOSYNTHESIS. Photosynthesis can take place slowly or quickly. It depends
on the temperature of the air. Photosynthesis takes place more quickly when it is
warm. To make food plants need these things:
Here are the 4 things needed for photosynthesis
to take place:
sunlight
water
carbon dioxide
chlorophyll
Now see if you can answer these questions with TRUE or FALSE.
1. Plants get food from the soil. ____________
2. Plants make food in their green leaves. ____________
3. Water gives the plant the food it needs. _____________
4. It is the green chemical in leaves that helps make the food. ____________
5. To make food a plant needs oxygen. _____________
6. Chlorophyll is green. _______________
7. Photosynthesis makes chlorophyll. _______________
8. Photosynthesis is when the plants makes food in its leaves. ___________
9. A plant needs water to make food. ______________
10 The plant gets food from the sun. _______________
11 Sunlight is needed for photosynthesis. ______________
12 The speed of photosynthesis is always the same in a leaf. ___________
13 The speed of photosynthesis depends on the temperature. ___________
14 It needs to be warm for photosynthesis to take place quickly. __________
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sunlight
carbon dioxide + water
glucose + oxygen
chlorophyll
What does
this mean?
When a plant makes food it takes the water and the carbon
dioxide and joins them together with the sun’s energy . To do this it
needs chlorophyll. A chemical reaction takes place inside the
chloroplasts (the little structures containing chlorophyll ).
A chemical reaction takes place inside the chloroplast because of the
Think of a
CHLOROPLAST
as a factory. In
the pictures below
fill in the names of
what is going on.
chlorophyll. Then food is made for the plant. This food is called
GLUCOSE.
There is a waste product of photosynthesis. This waste product is
OXYGEN. During photosynthesis the plants gives off oxygen That is
why green plants are needed on the earth to make new oxygen for us
to breathe in.
The main product made is
called ________________.
The first raw
material needed
to make food is
_____________
_____________
The green chemical inside
the chloroplast is called
_____________________.
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What is this waste that is
coming out?
_____________________
The other raw
material that is
needed to make
food is
_____________
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Now test yourself to see how much you have remembered.
When you have finished, check your answers by turning back and finding the
answers on the worksheets that you have already completed.
In the box write out the word
formula that shows the process
of photosynthesis.
____________
_
_____________
_____________
__
+
___________
____________
___________
___
+
_________
Now answer these questions based on this word formula.
1. What do we call the green chemical needed for photosynthesis?
____________________
2. Which gas is needed for photosynthesis? ____________________________
3. What 2 other raw materials are needed to make food? __________________
______________________________________________________________
4. What is the main product of photosynthesis? __________________________
5. What is the waste product of photosynthesis? _________________________
Now check your answers. Correct any that you got wrong.
WHAT DOES THE WORD
PHOTOSYNTHESIS MEAN ?
This long word comes from 2 words:
PHOTO – meaning LIGHT
SYNTHESIS - meaning TO MAKE
So the word means - making something from
light. That something is food in the form of
glucose.
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More facts about PHOTOSYNTHESIS
sunlight
carbon dioxide + water
glucose + oxygen
chlorophyll
1. How does the carbon dioxide
enter the leaf?
The leaf has tiny holes on its surface.
These holes are called STOMATA.
One of these holes is called a STOMA.
Most of the stomata are on the under
surface of the leaf.
There are a few stomata on the top
surface.
The carbon dioxide DIFFUSES into the
stomata.
BUT HOW DO
ALL THESE
THINGS GET
INTO THE
LEAF?
Stomata on the
surface of a leaf.
(Highly magnified)
Fill in the missing words:
A leaf has tiny __________________ on
its ___________________.
These holes are called
______________________. One of
these holes is called a
_________________. Most of the
surface of the leaf. There are a few
Why do you think there are more
stomata on the under surface of the
leaf?
____________________________
_____________________ on the top
____________________________
surface of the ________________. The
____________________________
carbon __________________ diffuses
____________________________
into the ____________________.
____________________________
stomata are on the ________________
Write these words out 3x each:
_____
photosynthesis
____________________ ________________________ __________________
stomata
____________________ ________________________ __________________
chlorophyll
____________________ ________________________ __________________
dioxide
____________________ ________________________ __________________
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2. How does the SUNLIGHT enter the leaf?
 The inside of the leaf is designed to trap sunlight.
 The top layer of the leaf is covered with a clear waxy
layer. This lets the sunlight in but stops the water
from escaping from the surface of the leaf.
 The cells under the waxy layer have only a few
chloroplasts and let the sunlight through.
 The long cells under this layer have the chloroplasts
arranged on the sides so the sunlight can get down
deep into the leaf.
 The petiole holds the leaf blade out in a way to catch
maximum light.
Match up the 2 halves of a sentence by joining them with a coloured pencil
line.
The inside of a leaf
The top layer of the leaf
This waxy layer allows
holds the leaf blade in a good
position to catch sunlight.
only have a few chloroplasts so
they are quite transparent.
have the chloroplasts arranged
down the sides of the cells.
The waxy layer also
is well designed to trap sunlight.
The cells under the waxy layer
The long cells in the leaf
the sunlight can enter deep into the
cells of the leaf.
is covered with a clear, waxy layer.
Because the chloroplasts are down
the side of the cells it means that
The petiole is the leaf stalk and it
stops water from leaving the cells
inside the leaf.
the sunlight to enter the leaf.
Watch The process of photosynthesis at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYbMPwmwx88
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What does the plant do with all the food it makes?
What happens to all the food you eat?
1. It is used for energy for all your activities.
2. It is used for cell growth if you are a growing adolescent.
3. Any excess is stored – as FAT! (specially on our bellies
and hips
It is exactly the same for a plant !
SO...
The plant uses the glucose for:
1. Energy – for all the processes in the plant
such as respiration, photosynthesis etc.
2. Growth – for new shoots, fruits and flowers.
3. Storage – extra glucose that is not immediately is
stored – not as fat but as starch. It could be stored in
the leaves, stem or root. One of our main food
sources is the stored starch of plants eg potatoes,
carrots, turnips etc. It is also stored in the fruit of a
plant eg apples, oranges etc. They also store the
starch in their leaves for when it is dark and the plant
cannot photosynthesise because there is no sunlight.
Read the fact sheet above then do this activity.
1. Name 2 processes that a plant needs energy for? ____________________
and __________________________.
2. What growth is taking place that the plant needs energy for?
____________________________________________________________
3. In what form does the plant store its extra glucose? ___________________
4. Where is this starch stored? ______________________________________
____________________________________________________________
5. Why are some plants so important to man? _________________________
____________________________________________________________
6. Why do plants store starch in their leaves? __________________________
____________________________________________________________
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What do we mean
by BIOMASS ?
A small,
young
plant.
When a plant
photosynthesises it produces
a lot of glucose. It grows
and gets larger. Its mass
increases. We call this an
increase in BIOMASS.
The plant has grown
bigger and bigger
(increased its biomass)
using carbon dioxide,
water and the sun’s
energy together with
chlorophyll.
Name the 4 things that a plant
needs to be able to increase its
BIOMASS.
1. _______________________
The same
plant 5
weeks
later with
a great
increase
in
BIOMASS
TEMPERATURE also
affects the rate of
2. _______________________
photosynthesis. Plants
3. _______________________
can’t make food
4. _______________________
(photosynthesise) if the
temperature is too hot
Look at the list above. Three of
these things will affect how
much food a plant can make.
They are:
1. Sunlight
2. Water
3. Carbon dioxide.
and they also can’t if the
temperature is too cold.
They like the
temperature to be just
right – not too hot and
not too cold.
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Watch how plants respond to a light source at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3Oj2er91s
What happens if you increase the light that the plant gets?
Weak light
source
Strong light
source
What is
happening
here?
What effect
is the light
having?
Lots of bubbles
of oxygen
Fewer bubbles
of oxygen
Choose words from this box to fill in the spaces below. You
may use some of the words more than once.
oxygen
photosynthesis
lots
fewer
light
From the drawings above we can see that if you give a plant
more __________________ then ____________________
will be faster. When there is a strong light close to the plant
we can see ____________ of bubbles of ________________.
When the light source is weaker or further away then we can
see ___________________ bubbles of _________________.
When plants photosynthesise they give off _______________
as a by product.
When is photosynthesis
strongest?
Explain why you made this choice.
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
In the
or at
________________________________
________________________________
Put a circle around the sun
(day) or the moon (night).
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________________________________
________________________________
14
Use the pictures in this diagram to explain the
process of photosynthesis in your own words.
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
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_______________________________________________________
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_______________________________________________________
The structure of a leaf and its role in photosynthesis.
Why are leaves green?

Leaves are green because they contain a PIGMENT called CHLOROPHYLL.

The chlorophyll is found in small bodies called CHLOROPLASTS.

Chlorophyll can catch the energy of the sun.

The chloroplasts are found in the palisade mesophyll layer of the leaf.

The chloroplasts are arranged down the sides of these cells so that the sunlight can get to all
the chloroplasts.

This makes sure that the maximum amount of light is absorbed by the chlorophyll inside the
chloroplasts.
Complete these facts:
1. Leaves are green because _________________________________
2. Chlorophyll is found ______________________________________
3. Chlorophyll can catch _____________________________________
4. Chloroplasts are found ____________________________________
5. The arrangement of the chloroplasts in the cells makes sure that
______________________________________________________
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More facts about leaves….
The veins transport water around the leaf
blade
The leaf is very thin so the light can
reach all the cells inside the leaf
The leaf is very wide so it can trap a lot of
light.
The petiole or leaf stalk holds the leaf in a
good position to catch the light.
Use each of the keywords below to write a fact about the leaf.
veins
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
thin
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
wide
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
leaf stalk
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
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How a leaf is adapted to help
photosynthesis happen.
First look
carefully
at the
previous
diagram
of the
leaf. Then
fill in the
labels on
this
diagram.
Check
and
correct
any
errors.
Photosynthesis can happen in a leaf because of the way that the
cells are arranged inside the leaf. Each different type of tissue
has a very important function.
Here is a page of
important facts to
learn !
UPPER EPIDERMIS
 On top of the epidermis is the CUTICLE.
 The cuticle is WAXY and stops water from evaporating out of the leaf.
 The epidermis is clear and this lets the light straight through to the cells lower down.
PALISADE PARENCHYMA
 This is where photosynthesis takes place because they contain green bodies called
CHLOROPLASTS.
 The chloroplasts are arranged down the sides of the cells so that the light can shine down
the middle of the cells and maximise photosynthesis.
 The palisade cells are long and thin and packed tightly together. They are near the top of
the leaf where they can get the maximum amount of sunlight.
 Chloroplasts contain CHLOROPHYLL.
 The chlorophyll can absorb the energy from the sun.
THE SPONGY MESOPHYLL LAYER
 These cells are below the palisade cells and they also contain chloroplasts.
 The cells are loosely packed and the airspaces allows carbon dioxide to get to all the
mesophyll cells.
LOWER EPIDERMIS
 The cells contain small holes. These are the STOMATA. The stomata allow carbon
dioxide into the leaf and oxygen out of the leaf.
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How a leaf is adapted to help
photosynthesis happen.
Read these facts about the leaf blade. Then
answer the questions that follow.
The shape of the leaf
The leaf blade is BROAD and FLAT.
This gives a large surface area for gases to enter and leave the leaf.
The leaf blade is very thin
This means that the carbon dioxide can dissolve very rapidly though the leaf blade.
Moist internal surfaces
The gasses can dissolve easily into the cells.
Arrangement of the chloroplasts in the leaf
The chloroplasts are arranged down the sides of the cells and allow the light to pass
through their centre. This allows maximum light to enter and pass over the chloroplasts.
The waxy cuticle on the upper surface
This waxy layer prevents the water in the leaf from evaporating. Some plants have hairs
on their upper surface to further prevent water loss.
The stomata are on the lower surface of the leaf
The stomata are open during the day. CO2 can enter the leaf but water can also diffuse
out. Being on the lower surface prevents too much water escaping as they are not in
direct contact with the sun’s rays.
 Stomata are microscopic pores found on
the lower epidermis of leaves.
 There are guard cells on either side of the
opening. Each guard cell contains
chloroplasts.
 The guard cells either open or close the
opening of the stomata.
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Join the facts together with a coloured pencil.
Each fact on the left column matches a fact in the
right side column.
The leaf blade is broad and flat
This means that the gasses can
dissolve very rapidly though the
The leaf blade is very thin
The internal surfaces of the leaf
are very moist
The chloroplasts are arranged
down the sides of the cells.
There is a waxy cuticle on the
upper epidermis of the leaf.
Some plants have hairs on their
upper surface.
The chloroplasts are arranged
down the sides of the cells
The stomata are on the lower
surface of the leaf
leaf blade.
This prevents the water in the
leaf from evaporating
This allows the light to pass
through their centre and give
maximum light to the
chloroplasts.
Being on the lower surface
prevents too much water
escaping as they are not in
direct contact with the sun’s
rays.
This allows the light to pass
through their centre. This allows
maximum light to enter and
pass over the chloroplasts.
This gives a large surface area
for gases to enter and leave the
leaf.
This prevents excessive loss of
water in hot, dry climates like
the desert.
stoma on
leaf
surface
This means that the carbon
dioxide can dissolve very rapidly
though the leaf blade.
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What do we mean
by BIOMASS ?
1. What does a plant produce when it
photosynthesises? ___________________
2. What happens to the plant when there is an
increase in biomass? __________________
___________________________________
3. What do we call the green chemical in
leaves? ____________________________
4. What 3 other things need to be present for
photosynthesis to take place? ___________
___________________________________
Name the 4 things that a plant needs to
increase its biomass
1. ______________________________
2. ______________________________
3. ______________________________
4. ______________________________
Name 4 factors (things) that can make the rate of photosynthesis
faster or slower.
1. ____________________________
2. ____________________________
3. ____________________________
4. ____________________________
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