Photosynthesis and Leaf Structure

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering producers vs. consumers, the process and word equation of photosynthesis, and the specialized internal structures and adaptations of a leaf.

Producers

Organisms that produce (make) their own food through photosynthesis, such as plants, algae, kelp, seaweed, and phytoplankton.

Consumers

Organisms that need to "eat" other living things to get the energy they need to survive, including fungi, animals, and certain bacteria.

Photosynthesis

The process used by plants to make their own food using water, carbon dioxide, and light energy from the sun.

Word Equation for Photosynthesis

$$\text{Carbon dioxide} + \text{water} + \text{light energy} \rightarrow \text{Glucose} + \text{Oxygen}$$

Waxy Cuticle

A transparent waterproof layer that protects, prevents water from evaporating, and protects the leaf from infections.

Upper Epidermis

A thin and transparent layer that allows light to enter the palisade mesophyll layer underneath it.

Palisade Mesophyll

A layer of long, narrow cells that are closely packed together and full of chloroplasts, where photosynthesis occurs.

Spongy Mesophyll

A tissue layer where cells have an irregular shape and are packed loosely for efficient gas exchange.

Lower Epidermis

A thin layer of cells similar to the upper epidermis that contains stomata that open and close to allow gases to move in and out of the leaf.

Vascular Bundle

A structure inside the spongy mesophyll layer that contains xylem, which transports water and nutrients to the rest of the plant, and carries glucose from the leaves to the rest of the plant.

Chlorophyll

The pigment inside chloroplasts that absorbs light energy for photosynthesis.