Leaf structure
Plant organs include roots, stems and leaves.
The structure of a leaf has adaptations so that it can carry out A chemical process used by plants to make glucose and oxygen from carbon dioxide and water, using light energy. Oxygen is produced as a by-product of photosynthesis. Algae subsumed within plants and some bacteria are also photosynthetic. effectively.
A leaf needs:
- a way to transport water to the leaf, and A simple sugar used by cells for respiration. to other parts of the plant
- a way to exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen
- the ability to absorb light energy efficiently
Cross section of a leaf
Features of leaves and their functions
| Feature | Function |
| Large surface area | Maximise light absorption |
| Thin | Short distance for carbon dioxide to diffuse into leaf cells |
| Thin waxy cuticle | Protects the leaves without blocking out light |
| Thin transparent epidermis | Allows light to reach the palisade mesophyll cells |
| Feature | Large surface area |
|---|---|
| Function | Maximise light absorption |
| Feature | Thin |
|---|---|
| Function | Short distance for carbon dioxide to diffuse into leaf cells |
| Feature | Thin waxy cuticle |
|---|---|
| Function | Protects the leaves without blocking out light |
| Feature | Thin transparent epidermis |
|---|---|
| Function | Allows light to reach the palisade mesophyll cells |
