Photosynthesis: What’s in a Leaf?

What is the relationship between structure and function in a leaf?

Why?
What would the world be like without leaves—no grass for ball fields, no beautiful landscaping? It would
also mean no oxygen for animals and no food for heterotrophs. Leaves are like living machines that recycle
the carbon and oxygen in our environment. This process, driven by the sun’s energy, allows for a constant
supply of oxygen and food for the inhabitants of Earth.

Model 1 – Leaf Sun-Catcher

Sunlight
(energy)

Water
xylem (liquid)

rs
Suga

Water
Water (gas)
(gas)

Oxygen
Carbon dioxide

General Equation for Photosynthesis

Reactants Products
light
carbon dioxide + water energy
⎯⎯→ sugars + oxygen

1. List three things entering the leaf in Model 1.

Carbon Dioxide, water, sunlight

2. List three substances leaving the leaf.

water, oxygen, sugars

3. Which substance is both entering and leaving?

water is entering and leaving

4. Veins are important structures that carry materials through the leaf. Label the central vein in the
leaf diagram.
Xylem

Photosynthesis: What’s in a Leaf? A part of a plant organism that produces glucose from photosynthesis.
1
 5. How is the substance you identified in Question 3 changed between its entry and its exit?
the water enters as a liquid and leaves as a gas.

6. Use the general equation for photosynthesis and Model 1 to answer the following questions.
a. What are the reactants for photosynthesis?
water
b. Where do these reactants enter the leaf?
through the xylem
c. What are the products of photosynthesis?
glucose, Carbon dioxide

d. From where do the products leave the leaf?

through the stomata
7. Categorize all the components involved in photosynthesis as either matter or energy.

co2, h2o, 02 is matter sunlight is energy

Model 2 – Cross Section of the Internal Structure of a Leaf

Cuticle
Upper epidermis
Chloroplast
Palisade mesophyll

Vein
Air Space
Spongy mesophyll
Lower epidermis
Cuticle
Guard cell Stoma
carbon dioxide oxygen
h20
8. List the layers of the leaf starting at the upper cuticle all the way to the lower cuticle.

lower cuticle, spongy mesophyll, vein, palisade mesophyll, upper cuticle

2 POGIL™ Activities for High School Biology

Read This!
Inside plant veins are two different types of tissues. Xylem carries water and minerals up from the roots of
the plant and phloem carries the sugars (nutrients) away from the leaf to areas where the plant is growing
or to storage areas in the plant.
9. Describe the position of the vein(s) in each model.
a. In the leaf in Model 1.
the vein is going across the leaf

b. Within the leaf cross section in Model 2.

the vein is going toward you

10. How does the placement of veins help to carry out their function of transporting materials to
and from the leaf?
it helps h2o get to the palisade mesophyll

11. Look back at your answers to Questions 1–3 and the photosynthesis equation. In the appropriate
locations on Model 2, mark with labels and arrows what is entering the leaf and what is exiting
the leaf.
yes

12. Which kind(s) of cells have chloroplasts in them?

palisade mesophyll
13. Remembering the function of chloroplasts, in which part(s) of the leaf is photosynthesis taking
place?
in the cells and chloroplast

14. The green color of chloroplasts is due to a pigment in them that absorbs light energy. Knowing
this, infer which layer inside a leaf gives the whole leaf its green color. Write one complete sen-
tence to express your reasoning.
The mesophyll layer of a leaf which contains the chloroplasts, is the reason for the green color
of the entire leaf. the chloroplasts within this layer absorb light energy.

15. Through which layer(s) does light energy travel to reach the palisade mesophyll?
through the cuticle
16. List at least three differences between the cells of the palisade mesophyll and the cells that make
up the other areas within the leaf.
the shape, density, color

17. How would the cylindrical shape of the palisade mesophyll cells increase the amount of photo-
synthesis that the leaf can carry out?

more sunlight can hit it

Photosynthesis: What’s in a Leaf? 3

 18. What would be the advantage(s) to having no chloroplasts in the cells of the spongy mesophyll?
it would open up more space

19. Suppose there were many chloroplasts in the cells of the upper epidermis. How would that
change the amount of sunlight reaching the chloroplasts in the palisade layer?
the chloroplast in the upper epidermis would just take all the sunlight

20. Considering its locations and your previous knowledge of the word, what do you think might be
the function of the epidermis?
a protector or filter

Read This!
The cuticle covering the upper and lower epidermis of land plants is made of a waxy substance that repels
water in much the same way as wax on a paper cup.
21. What is the purpose of having a water-tight covering?

so water cant escape

22. Look carefully at the lower surface of the leaf in Model 2.

a. What structure is found between guard cells?
stamata

b. How would you describe this structure?

a gate to get in the leaf

c. How would this affect the ability of the leaf to retain water especially in dry conditions?

water can escape through the stomata

4 POGIL™ Activities for High School Biology