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Year 9

Adaptations of plants for photosynthesis: gas exchange and stomata

You can describe how plants are adapted to take in and release gases to support photosynthesis.

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New
New
Year 9

Adaptations of plants for photosynthesis: gas exchange and stomata

You can describe how plants are adapted to take in and release gases to support photosynthesis.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Plant leaves take in carbon dioxide gas from the air for photosynthesis
  2. The oxygen made by photosynthesis is released as a gas from leaves into the air
  3. This process is called gas exchange
  4. Leaves have small holes in their surface called stomata for gas exchange
  5. Molecules of gases move through open stomata by diffusion

Keywords

  • Gas exchange - Gas exchange in plants is when photosynthesising leaves take in carbon dioxide gas and release waste oxygen gas.

  • Stomata - Small holes in the surfaces of a leaf.

  • Guard cells - Cells next to stomata that can change shape to open and close the stomata.

  • Diffusion - Diffusion is caused by the continuous random movement of molecules of a gas (or of a liquid).

  • Net movement - When more molecules of a gas (or of a liquid) diffuse from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration.

This lesson helps to develop the key cross-cutting idea in biology that the shapes and forms of biological structures are adapted for specific functions.
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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which part of a plant takes in gas for photosynthesis and releases gas made by photosynthesis?
flowers
Correct answer: leaves
roots
Q2.
What is the name of the gas that plants take in for photosynthesis?
Correct Answer: carbon dioxide, carbon dioxide gas, CO2, CO2 gas
Q3.
What is the name of the gas that plants make as a waste product from photosynthesis?
Correct Answer: oxygen, oxygen gas, O2, O2 gas
Q4.
Carbon dioxide gas and oxygen gas are made up of _____ .
air
cells
minerals
Correct answer: particles
Q5.
When particles of a gas move from one place to another, this is called _____ .
adaptation
concentration
Correct answer: diffusion
reproduction
Q6.
The diagram shows particles of a gas. Which statement is correct?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: More of the particles will move from area A to area B.
More of the particles will move from area B to area A.
The same number of particles will move between both areas.
The particles will not move.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is the name of the tiny holes in the surface of a leaf?
An image in a quiz
chloroplasts
guard cells
Correct answer: stomata
vacuoles
Q2.
The diagram shows some structures that make up a plant’s leaf. Which part of the diagram shows one of the leaf’s stomata?
An image in a quiz
Part A
Part B
Part C
Correct answer: Part D
Q3.
cells can change shape to open and close stomata.
Correct Answer: Guard, guard
Q4.
Which process allows gas exchange through open stomata during photosynthesis?
adaptation
concentration
Correct answer: diffusion
respiration
Q5.
Which diagram shows the correct concentration gradient of particles of oxygen gas when the cells inside the leaf are photosynthesising?
Diagram A
Diagram B
Correct answer: Diagram C
Q6.
Which statement describes the net movement of carbon dioxide particles when the leaf cells are photosynthesising?
An image in a quiz
Net movement in both directions.
Net movement from inside the leaf to the outside.
Correct answer: Net movement from the outside to inside the leaf.
No net movement in either direction.