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Plants, leaves & photosynthesis
Explore how roots, stems, leaves and flowers support plant growth and photosynthesis. Review suitability for your learners before teaching.
Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 10-12
Plants, leaves & photosynthesis
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. What green pigment inside plant chloroplasts absorbs light energy for photosynthesis: chlorophyll or haemoglobin?
2. Why do many insect-pollinated flowers have brightly coloured petals and sweet nectar: to attract pollinators, or to absorb soil water?
3. Which vascular tissue carries sugars made in the leaves to the rest of the plant: phloem or bark?
4. After fertilisation, which part of a flowering plant develops into a fruit enclosing the seeds: the ovary or the sepal?
5. Which three conditions do most seeds need to germinate: water, oxygen and warmth, or darkness, ice and salt?
6. Why do plants need nitrate ions from the soil: to make amino acids and proteins for cell growth, or to freeze water?
7. Why do plants need magnesium ions from the soil: to make green chlorophyll, or to attract wind?
8. In which cell organelles inside palisade leaf cells does photosynthesis occur: chloroplasts or ribosomes?
9. How are dandelion and maple seeds adapted to be dispersed away from the parent plant: by wind, or by sinking in deep water?
10. Which gas do plants release as a byproduct of photosynthesis: oxygen or helium?
11. Which gas do plants take in from the air through tiny pores (stomata) to use in photosynthesis: carbon dioxide or nitrogen?
12. What is the role of the green sepals on the outside of a flower bud: to protect the unopened flower bud, or to absorb soil nitrates?
12 questions · Seed 43 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
View the answer key
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 10-12
Plants, leaves & photosynthesis
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. What green pigment inside plant chloroplasts absorbs light energy for photosynthesis: chlorophyll or haemoglobin?
ChlorophyllChlorophyll absorbs mainly red and blue light and reflects green light.
2. Why do many insect-pollinated flowers have brightly coloured petals and sweet nectar: to attract pollinators, or to absorb soil water?
To attract pollinatorsBees and butterflies visit for nectar and carry pollen between flowers.
3. Which vascular tissue carries sugars made in the leaves to the rest of the plant: phloem or bark?
PhloemPhloem translocates dissolved sugars from leaves to growing roots, fruits and seeds.
4. After fertilisation, which part of a flowering plant develops into a fruit enclosing the seeds: the ovary or the sepal?
OvaryThe fertilised ovules become seeds while the surrounding ovary wall ripens into a fruit.
5. Which three conditions do most seeds need to germinate: water, oxygen and warmth, or darkness, ice and salt?
Water, oxygen and warmthSeeds require water to activate enzymes, oxygen for respiration, and suitable warmth.
6. Why do plants need nitrate ions from the soil: to make amino acids and proteins for cell growth, or to freeze water?
To make amino acids and proteins for cell growthPlants combine glucose with nitrogen from nitrates to synthesise amino acids and proteins.
7. Why do plants need magnesium ions from the soil: to make green chlorophyll, or to attract wind?
To make green chlorophyllMagnesium is the central atom in every chlorophyll molecule; deficiency causes yellow leaves (chlorosis).
8. In which cell organelles inside palisade leaf cells does photosynthesis occur: chloroplasts or ribosomes?
ChloroplastsChloroplasts contain chlorophyll and the enzymes needed for photosynthesis.
9. How are dandelion and maple seeds adapted to be dispersed away from the parent plant: by wind, or by sinking in deep water?
By windParachute-like plumes on dandelions and winged samaras on maples catch the wind.
10. Which gas do plants release as a byproduct of photosynthesis: oxygen or helium?
OxygenOxygen produced during photosynthesis diffuses out of the leaves into the air.
11. Which gas do plants take in from the air through tiny pores (stomata) to use in photosynthesis: carbon dioxide or nitrogen?
Carbon dioxidePlants combine carbon dioxide and water using light energy to make glucose and oxygen.
12. What is the role of the green sepals on the outside of a flower bud: to protect the unopened flower bud, or to absorb soil nitrates?
To protect the unopened flower budSepals enclose and protect the developing petals before the flower opens.
12 questions · Seed 43 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 10-12
Plants, leaves & photosynthesis
Take your time. Show your thinking.
1. What green pigment inside plant chloroplasts absorbs light energy for photosynthesis: chlorophyll or haemoglobin?
2. Why do many insect-pollinated flowers have brightly coloured petals and sweet nectar: to attract pollinators, or to absorb soil water?
3. Which vascular tissue carries sugars made in the leaves to the rest of the plant: phloem or bark?
4. After fertilisation, which part of a flowering plant develops into a fruit enclosing the seeds: the ovary or the sepal?
5. Which three conditions do most seeds need to germinate: water, oxygen and warmth, or darkness, ice and salt?
6. Why do plants need nitrate ions from the soil: to make amino acids and proteins for cell growth, or to freeze water?
7. Why do plants need magnesium ions from the soil: to make green chlorophyll, or to attract wind?
8. In which cell organelles inside palisade leaf cells does photosynthesis occur: chloroplasts or ribosomes?
9. How are dandelion and maple seeds adapted to be dispersed away from the parent plant: by wind, or by sinking in deep water?
10. Which gas do plants release as a byproduct of photosynthesis: oxygen or helium?
11. Which gas do plants take in from the air through tiny pores (stomata) to use in photosynthesis: carbon dioxide or nitrogen?
12. What is the role of the green sepals on the outside of a flower bud: to protect the unopened flower bud, or to absorb soil nitrates?
12 questions · Seed 43 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification
Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 10-12
Plants, leaves & photosynthesis
Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.
1. What green pigment inside plant chloroplasts absorbs light energy for photosynthesis: chlorophyll or haemoglobin?
ChlorophyllChlorophyll absorbs mainly red and blue light and reflects green light.
2. Why do many insect-pollinated flowers have brightly coloured petals and sweet nectar: to attract pollinators, or to absorb soil water?
To attract pollinatorsBees and butterflies visit for nectar and carry pollen between flowers.
3. Which vascular tissue carries sugars made in the leaves to the rest of the plant: phloem or bark?
PhloemPhloem translocates dissolved sugars from leaves to growing roots, fruits and seeds.
4. After fertilisation, which part of a flowering plant develops into a fruit enclosing the seeds: the ovary or the sepal?
OvaryThe fertilised ovules become seeds while the surrounding ovary wall ripens into a fruit.
5. Which three conditions do most seeds need to germinate: water, oxygen and warmth, or darkness, ice and salt?
Water, oxygen and warmthSeeds require water to activate enzymes, oxygen for respiration, and suitable warmth.
6. Why do plants need nitrate ions from the soil: to make amino acids and proteins for cell growth, or to freeze water?
To make amino acids and proteins for cell growthPlants combine glucose with nitrogen from nitrates to synthesise amino acids and proteins.
7. Why do plants need magnesium ions from the soil: to make green chlorophyll, or to attract wind?
To make green chlorophyllMagnesium is the central atom in every chlorophyll molecule; deficiency causes yellow leaves (chlorosis).
8. In which cell organelles inside palisade leaf cells does photosynthesis occur: chloroplasts or ribosomes?
ChloroplastsChloroplasts contain chlorophyll and the enzymes needed for photosynthesis.
9. How are dandelion and maple seeds adapted to be dispersed away from the parent plant: by wind, or by sinking in deep water?
By windParachute-like plumes on dandelions and winged samaras on maples catch the wind.
10. Which gas do plants release as a byproduct of photosynthesis: oxygen or helium?
OxygenOxygen produced during photosynthesis diffuses out of the leaves into the air.
11. Which gas do plants take in from the air through tiny pores (stomata) to use in photosynthesis: carbon dioxide or nitrogen?
Carbon dioxidePlants combine carbon dioxide and water using light energy to make glucose and oxygen.
12. What is the role of the green sepals on the outside of a flower bud: to protect the unopened flower bud, or to absorb soil nitrates?
To protect the unopened flower budSepals enclose and protect the developing petals before the flower opens.
12 questions · Seed 43 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification