Question

Name the part of a plant which produces food. Name the process.

Answer 1

Leaf: -

1. A leaf's primary job is to perform photosynthesis to make food for the plant.
2. Light energy is absorbed by chlorophyll, the compound that gives plants their distinctive green color.
3. In the cells of leaves, the chloroplast is found and photosynthesis takes place in it.
4. The leaf epidermis, which is continuous with the stem epidermis, protects the internal leaf structure.

Photosynthesis: -

1. Water (H₂O) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) are absorbed by plants during photosynthesis from the soil and atmosphere.
2. Water is oxidized, which means it loses electrons, while carbon dioxide is reduced, which means it receives electrons, inside the plant cell.
3. Carbon dioxide is used to synthesize glucose and oxygen is released.
4. After storing energy within the glucose molecules, the plant releases the oxygen back into the atmosphere.

Stomata:

1. The gaseous exchange takes place via the stomata and water is available.
2. The carbohydrate or glucose is used up and stored in form of starch(food) in the leaves.
3. The oxygen is thus produced as a by-product that is evolved in the atmosphere.

Chloroplast:

1. Chloroplasts are the biconvex-shaped, semi-porous, double membranous, and cell organelle found within the mesophyll cells of the leaves.
2. They are sites for synthesizing food by the process of photosynthesis.
3. Chlorophyll pigment and other accessory pigments are found in chloroplasts.
4. These pigments trap solar energy.
5. This is energy is utilized to synthesize food substance - glucose.

Below is a schematic diagram of photosynthesis: -

6CO₂ + 6H₂O ⇢ C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂