Photosynthesis

__HOW ARE PLANTS ADAPTED FOR PHOTOSYNTHESIS?__
 * **Palisade mesophyll cells:** Absorbs the light using chlorophyll
 * Arranged //perpendicular// to the upper epidermis so that more cells are exposed to sunlight.
 * **Function of stomata:** Take in air, water evaporates out of the leaf.
 * Found at the lower surface layer of the leaf,to cut down water loss through transpiration.
 * **Spongy mesophyll cells:** Irregular cells, with large inter-cellular air space.
 * Found at the bottom of leaf: so that gas exchange will be more efficient, as stomata are found at the lower surface layer of the leaf.
 * Irregular, with a lot of inter-cellular air space: allow more space for air to be exchanged.
 * **Leaf:** Thin and flat
 * Have large surface area to volume ratio, to maximize sunlight absorption. Because the leaf is thin, gas from lower epidermis is able to have access to the other parts of the leaf.
 * Have main rib and leaf stalk to expose the leaf to maximize sunlight absorption.
 * **Xylem:** Transports water.
 * **Phloem:** Transports nutrients
 * **Epidermal layer:** Transparent layer of cuticle.
 * Focuses the light to let the palisade mesophyll absorb the sunlight.

__FACTORS AFFECTING PHOTOSYNTHESIS__ > > > > >
 * **Carbon dioxide concentration:**
 * Higher concentration of CO2, higher rate of photosynthesis.
 * **Light intensity:**
 * The higher the light intensity, the higher the rate of photosynthesis.
 * The is a limit to the maximum rate (saturation point). At the saturation point, the rate of photosynthesis cannot increase due to the presence of the limiting factor.
 * **Temperature**
 * At every increase of 10 degrees celcius, the rate of photosynthesis will double.
 * Optimum rate: Water molecules bind with enzymes in chlorophyll, therefore the rate of photosynthesis will increase.
 * Too cold: Water molecules don't move fast enough (lesser energy) to bind with enzymes.
 * Too hot: Enzyme denatures