Name: ________________

Photosynthesis

1. An experiment was carried out using three plants of the same species. Each one was kept in a
dark cupboard for 12 hours before the experiment was carried out.

One leaf was detached from each plant and immediately placed in test tubes labelled A, B and
C as shown in the diagram below. The tubes were then closed using bungs.

Red sodium hydrogencarbonate indicator solution was used in each of the three tubes. The
indicator is red in normal air, purple when there is less carbon dioxide than in normal air and
yellow when there is more carbon dioxide than in normal air.

The test tubes were left in bright sunlight for 3 hours. The colour of the indicator solution was
found to have changed in some of the test tubes.

ai Suggest the colour of the indicator in each test tube after 3 hours.
A

C
(3 marks)

aii Explain each answer given in part (ai) above.

A

(6 marks)
3. The graph shown below indicates the amount of sugar contained in the leaves of a group of
plants, kept in a greenhouse, over a 7-day period.

a. Write the word equation for the process that produces sugar in the plants.

(4 marks)
b. Name the process shown by the equation.

(1 mark)

c. Why does the sugar level rise and fall during the day?

(2 marks)

d. Suggest a reason for the lower peak on day 3.

(2 marks)

e. The greenhouse owner used a paraffin burner during the spring. Give two reasons why using
the burner might increase the yield of sugar produced.
1

2
(2 marks)

4. The diagram shows a section through part of a leaf.

ai Name the cells labelled A, B, C, D and E.

Letter Cell
A

E
(5 marks)

aii In which of these cells does most photosynthesis occur?

(1 mark)
aiii Which of these cells would transport water and minerals to the leaf?

(1 mark)

b. In what form is carbohydrate transported around the plant?

(1 mark)

ci In what form is carbohydrate stored in an onion?

(1 mark)
ciii Describe two uses, other than storage, for the carbohydrate made by the process of
photosynthesis.
1

2
(2 marks)

d. Look back at the leaf section. Use the scale to work out:

i the thickness of the leaf ………………………………………………………………………………

ii the length of a palisade cell ………………………………………………………………………………

Write your answer in the space above and show your working out in the spaces below.

Thickness of leaf Length of palisade cell

(2 marks)