Literature review
Introduction
In the 16th century photosynthesis was partly discovered by (Jean Baptista a German)
chemist (Shipunov 2019). This theory was that plants growing can not only be from soil. He
thought that the extra material for plant growth was from water only. To find out about
photosynthesis Jean grew a willow tree which weighed the same as the soil. After a few
years he realised that the willow tree had weighted 74 kg more than before, but the soil’s
weight didn’t change. This is where he discovered the starting theory of photosynthesis. He
notices that plant growth is not only coming from the soil, but it had come from water
(Bitesize, 2019)
Then in the 17th century (Joseph Priestley) discovered through an experiment that plants
produce oxygen. To find this part of the photosynthesis theory , he put a mint plant with a
burning candle is a container with a lid on. The flame went out because it used up all the
oxygen. (Bitesize, 2019) This experiment shows that produce gas which is oxygen allowing
fuels to burn. (Oliveira, 2016)
The third scientist that was a part of the discovery of Photosynthesis was (Jan Ingenhousz) a
Dutch biologist. (Bitesize, 2019) (Jan Ingenhousz) and (Joseph Priestley) discovered
through an experiment that bubbles were formed by plants when they are in the sun light. He
also discovered that plants produce carbon dioxide. This led him to discover that plant go
under respiration just like humans. (Oliveira, 2016)
(Jean Senebier) a Swiss pastor in 1782, showed that plants absorb carbon dioxide and
release oxygen due to the sunlight, to find this theory he carried out an experiment where he
put green plant leaves in carbon dioxide free water and he saw that the oxygen was not
being release. Then he decided to put the green plant leaves in the carbon dioxide saturated
water, he saw that the oxygen liberation was far greater than in the normal water. (Nehme
and Boushey, 2014)
(Julius Robert Mayer), who was a German physician, identified that energy can’t be made
or damaged. He also said that plants transform light energy into chemical energy.
Photosynthesis is a process which happens in plants. Photosynthesis contains sunlight,
carbon dioxide, water, and oxygen. The three factors affecting photosynthesis are 1.Light
intensity- when there is no light the plant cant photosynthesise as quick as then there is light.
2. Carbon dioxide concentration- If there is light and no carbon dioxide, the plant cant
photosynthesises. 3. Temperature- when the weather is too cold the rate of photosynthesis
will decrease. When the temperature is hot or warm it is perfect for the plants to
photosynthesis. (Oliveira, 2016)
, Light intensity
When the light intensity increases rapidly, so does the rate of photosynthesis. After the light
intensity increase on the graph it soon becomes limited and the graph takes a turn into a
curve. After the curve the rate of photosynthesis graph becomes connstant. (M and Socratic
Q&A, 2016).The concentraion of carbon dioxide or tempertaure has to rise inorder to
increase the rate of the phototynthesis. (Doc brown, n.d.)
Carbon dioxide concentration
When the concentration of carbon dioxide increases so does the rate of photosynthesis.
Concentration of carbon dioxide is similar to the light intensity because the concentration
increases quickly, then it slows down to create a curve. (M and Socratic Q&A, 2016) .After
the curve the concentration of carbon dioxide is constant. (Doc brown, n.d.)
When the temperature increases so does the rate of photosynthesis. This is different from
light intensity and concentration of carbon dioxide graph because the temperature increase
quickly at the start, but it turns from a straight-line graph to a curve. (M and Socratic Q&A,
2016).At the top of the curve is the maximum temperature which is where enzymes are
denatured. After the maximum temperature the graph decrease quickly making it a concave
down curve. (Doc brown, n.d.)