Topic 6: Plant Nutrition

Leaf Structure
LO Describe the structure of a leaf and link structure
to function
STARTER: Sketch a typical plant cell

Plant cell
cell wall
cell
membrane
cytoplasm
nucleus
vacuole
chloroplas
t

Name the structure

Function

Structure

Controls what goes in and out of the

cell.

cell membrane

Contains the genetic material.

nucleus

Surrounds the cell and gives support.

Contains chlorophyll and absorbs
sunlight.
Contains cell sap and gives support.
Where all the chemical reactions
happen.

cell wall
chloroplasts
vacuole
cytoplasm

Chloroplasts absorb sunlight

Green plants have chlorophyll

Lets investigate the pigments in chlorophyll.
In groups of 3:
Person 1 Collects a leaf and cuts it up and uses pestle
and mortar with 10ml of acetone to grind up leaf
Person 2 Measures out a 1cm of acetone in a 250ml
beaker and on a piece of chromatography paper draws
a line in pencil 2cm up from the bottom
Person 3 Sets up filter funnel to collect filtrate, use a
capillary tube to paint a green dot on the pencil line
and hang the paper in the acetone.

Chromatography set up

Waxy cuticle
Upper epidermis
Palisade cell
Chloroplast
Spongy mesophyll
Vein

Lower epidermis

Guard cell

Stomata

External: How leaves are adapted for

efficient photosynthesis
Side vein
Apex
Mid-rib vein
Leaf stalk
(petiole)

Leaf blade
(lamina)

Draw this table in your books

Feature of leaves
Broad, flat leaves
Stomata
Veins
Chloroplasts
Waxy layer
Thin
Palisade layer
Epidermis
Air spaces

How it aids photosynthesis

How leaves are suited to photosynthesis

Leaves are broad and flat, giving

large surface area to absorb as
much light as possible.

They have holes in the leaves to allow

carbon dioxide in and oxygen out.
These are STOMATA.
Stom
a

Guard
cells

There are veins in the leaves to

transport water and sugar around.

Many of the cells are packed with chloroplasts

which contain a light trapping pigment- chlorophyll.

There is a waxy layer on top to stop

water being lost from the leaf.

Thin leaves provide a short diffusion

distance for carbon dioxide to reach
the palisade and mesophyll cells

How structure of the leaf is adapted for

efficient photosynthesis
Epidermis is transparent;
Palisade layer at the top
containing most of the
chloroplasts;
Air spaces in the spongy
mesophyll allow diffusion
between stomata and
photosynthesising cells;
Internal surface area /
volume ratio very large.

Check out your chromatogram

How many pigments are there?
What colours are they?
Do you think red seaweed would produce
the same chromatogram?

TEST YOURSELF
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