Characteristics of Plants and Their Parts

Characteristics of Plants

• Autotrophic: Plants produce their own food through photosynthesis • Eukaryotic: Plant cells have a true nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles • Multicellular: Plants are composed of multiple cells that work together to form tissues and organs

Parts of a Plant

1. Roots: Underground structures that absorb water and nutrients from the soil
2. Stems: Above-ground structures that support the plant and transport materials between roots and leaves
3. Leaves: Organs that carry out photosynthesis and transpiration
4. Flowers: Reproductive structures that produce seeds and fruits
5. Fruits: Mature ovules that contain seeds and develop from the ovary of a flower

Plant Cell Structure

• Cell Wall: Rigid layer outside the cell membrane, composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin • Chloroplasts: Organelles responsible for photosynthesis, containing the pigment chlorophyll • Vacuoles: Membrane-bound sacs that store water, nutrients, and waste products • Nucleus: Control center of the cell, containing genetic material

Photosynthesis

• Light-Dependent Reactions: Light energy is absorbed and converted into ATP and NADPH • Light-Independent Reactions (Calvin Cycle): CO2 is fixed into glucose using ATP and NADPH • Overall Equation: 6 CO2 + 6 H2O + light energy → C6H12O6 (glucose) + 6 O2

Plant Growth and Development

• Meristems: Regions of undifferentiated cells that give rise to new tissues and organs • Hormones: Chemical messengers that regulate growth and development, such as auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, and ethylene • Tropisms: Growth responses to environmental stimuli, such as phototropism (light) and geotropism (gravity)

Characteristics of Plants

• Plants are autotrophic, producing their own food through photosynthesis
• They are eukaryotic, with plant cells having a true nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles
• Plants are multicellular, composed of multiple cells that work together to form tissues and organs

Parts of a Plant

• Roots are underground structures that absorb water and nutrients from the soil
• Stems are above-ground structures that support the plant and transport materials between roots and leaves
• Leaves are organs that carry out photosynthesis and transpiration
• Flowers are reproductive structures that produce seeds and fruits
• Fruits are mature ovules that contain seeds and develop from the ovary of a flower

Plant Cell Structure

• The cell wall is a rigid layer outside the cell membrane, composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin
• Chloroplasts are organelles responsible for photosynthesis, containing the pigment chlorophyll
• Vacuoles are membrane-bound sacs that store water, nutrients, and waste products
• The nucleus is the control center of the cell, containing genetic material

Photosynthesis

• Light energy is absorbed and converted into ATP and NADPH in light-dependent reactions
• CO2 is fixed into glucose using ATP and NADPH in light-independent reactions (Calvin Cycle)
• The overall equation for photosynthesis is 6 CO2 + 6 H2O + light energy → C6H12O6 (glucose) + 6 O2

Plant Growth and Development

• Meristems are regions of undifferentiated cells that give rise to new tissues and organs
• Hormones are chemical messengers that regulate growth and development, including auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, and ethylene
• Tropisms are growth responses to environmental stimuli, such as phototropism (light) and geotropism (gravity)

Learn about the key features of plants including autotrophy, eukaryotic cells, and multicellularity. Identify and understand the functions of different plant parts such as roots and stems.