Plants Plants supply oxygen that most organisms need to stay alive They also supply food for many organisms

How do plants survive harsh weather conditions? Plants adapt to get what they need from their surroundings. They have changed over time to be suited to get its needs met where it lives.

Germination Seeds need water and air to germinate. Germinating means that a seed absorbs water and swells and splits open. A tiny root begins to grow downward and a shoot begins to grow upward.

A new plant needs 5 things to stay healthy 1.Water 2.Light 3.Carbon dioxide 4.Oxygen 5.Nutrients These things help carry out all life processes that take place in the plant’s cells

Photosynthesis Plants make their own food by the process of photosynthesis. This process requires water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight.

The steps of photosynthesis ( Do Not Copy in Notes) – Water is absorbed from the soil by the roots. – Carbon dioxide enters the plants through stomata, tiny openings in the leaves. – Sunlight is also taken in by the leaves – Chlorophyll (the green color in the leaves) takes in the sunlight – The energy is used to changes carbon dioxide and water to sugar and oxygen – The sugar (glucose) is stored in the plant, and oxygen is released into the air.

Respiration Once the sugar is made, plants can use some of the oxygen to release the chemical energy that is stored in the sugar. This is called respiration, when oxygen combines with sugar to produce energy, carbon dioxide, and water.

Vascular Plants

Xylem and Phloem These tubes are made up of two kinds of tissues – xylem and phloem. Xylem tissue carries water and nutrients from the roots to the leaves. Phloem tissue carries sugar from the leaves to other cells in the plant.

Transpiration is the loss of water from a plant through the stomata. – Transpiration pulls water and minerals upward through the plant. This is called negative pressure or suction. – Sugar is moved by positive pressure. It is concentrated and moves to where it is needed and diluted by the water.

Nonvascular plants Nonvascular plants are plants that lack tissues that transport water, nutrients, and sugar. (They don’t have xylem or phloem) – Because they don’t have these tissues, they don’t grow very large

Nonvascular plants are anchored in the soil by long cells that look like roots. These structures are called rhizoids. – Nonvascular plants don’t have true roots to absorb water Instead they have cells that absorbs the water and nutrients it needs directly from the soil or air – They thrive in moist, shady places such as forests and swamps. *Images provided by Google and AltaVista