Leaves | animals

Leaves of a plant is the primary site of photosynthesis. Leaves also do gas exchange and transpiration.

Gas exchange is the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen through the stomata. Stomata contains chloroplasts. Not only that but it is open during the day and closed during the night. The stomata is found in the lower epidermis.

Transpiration is evaporation of water in plants through the stomata which increases the absorption of water through the roots.

Photosynthesis is a process which is when chlorophyll and enzymes in leaves convert certain wave lengths of light to make chemical energy.

WATER + LIGHT = CHEMICAL ENERGY

The process starts when the chloroplasts trap light energy, as that is happening water is entering the leaf and carbon dioxide enters the leaf through the stomata. Then sugar leaves the leaf. Sugar is made when chemical energy and carbon dioxide is mixed together.

Epidermis layer is usually 1 cell layer. It is located on the top and bottom of the leaf and allows water, oxygen and carbon dioxide which can enter and exit through the stomata.

A mesophyll layer is separated into two different layers palisade mesophyll and spongy mesophyll. Palisde mesophyll lays under the upper epidermis. It is made up of columner cells and are tightly packed into on to two layers. while spongy mesophyll is under the palisade layer, it is irregular shaped cells almost like balloons. They are surrounded by large air spaces for diffusion of oxygen, carbon dioxide and water.

The vascular layer consists of veins which is vascular bundles. the vascular bundles are located in the stem and petiole.