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What are limiting factors?
The law of limiting factors states that:
At any given moment, the rate of a physiological process
is limited by the factor that is at its least favourable value.
This factor is called a limiting factor because it limits the rate
at which the process can take place. Changing the levels of
other factors will not alter the rate of the process.
Factors that can limit the rate of photosynthesis include:
light intensity
temperature
CO2 concentration.
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How to control limiting factors
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Apparatus for the experiments
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Are we really measuring photosynthesis?
Oxygen is produced in the light-dependent stage of
photosynthesis. However, at all light intensities, plants
respire. Respiration uses oxygen.
Respiration: C6H12O6 + 6O2 6H2O + 6CO2
When the rate of photosynthesis is determined by measuring
the amount of oxygen formed, what is actually being measured
is the net release of oxygen, which represents how much the
rate of photosynthesis exceeds the rate of respiration.
In other words, the amount of oxygen produced by the plant is
excess to that which the plant uses for respiration.
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True or false?
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Effect of light intensity
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Plotting light intensity
Volume of oxygen can be plotted against light intensity
instead of distance. This can be measured with a lightmeter
as the lamp is moved closer. A graph like this one is obtained:
volume of
oxygen
produced in
5 mins (mm3)
light intensity (lux)
What relationship does this graph show between light
intensity and oxygen and why could this be? What does this
mean in terms of limiting factors?
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Comparing different types of plant
The graph shows the growth of two types of crop at varying
light intensities.
How is the growth of
rate of photosynthesis
crop A the two crops similar?
(arbitrary units)
From this data, suggest
crop B which crop would be
better suited to grow in a
sunny climate, which in a
cloudy climate and why.
light intensity What other issues
(arbitrary units) might these climates
create?
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Why is temperature important?
The light-independent reaction of photosynthesis is controlled
by enzymes. Temperature affects enzyme reactions.
As temperature increases, collision frequency between reactant
particles and between reactant and enzyme increases. This
increases the rate of reaction up to the optimum temperature.
Beyond the optimum temperature however, enzymes begin to
be denatured. Their tertiary structure breaks down, changing
the shape of the active site so that reactant molecules no
longer fit.
up to optimum enzyme denatured
temperature at high temperature
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Effect of temperature
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Fill in the missing words
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Atmospheric carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is essential for the photosynthesis process.
It is used during the light-independent stage to carboxylate
ribulose bisphosphate.
The normal concentration for atmospheric carbon dioxide varies
between 0.03 % and 0.04 %.
Plants are adapted to survive in varying concentrations of CO2,
but the higher the value, the higher the rate of photosynthesis.
Plants may therefore be able
to remove some of the CO2
released by human activity
from the air.
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Effect of carbon dioxide concentration
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True or false?
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Glossary
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What’s the keyword?
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Limiting factors and the reactions
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Multiple-choice quiz
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