Title: Factors affecting photosynthesis - Photosynthesis - OCR Gateway - GCSE Combined Science Revision - OCR Gateway - BBC Bitesize
Headings: Factors affecting photosynthesis
Photosynthesis
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Factors affecting photosynthesis
Light intensity
Carbon dioxide concentration
Temperature
Chlorophyll
The compensation point

Content: This graph shows that with no light, the carbon dioxide uptake is below zero (point A on the graph). With no light, there is no photosynthesis. So the rate of respiration is greater than the rate of photosynthesis. So this means there is an overall excess of carbon dioxide produced during respiration. An excess is the same as a negative uptake. As the light intensity increases the rate of photosynthesis follows (point B on the graph). This means more carbon dioxide is being absorbed by the plant for photosynthesis. So this means more carbon dioxide uptake occurs. The graph shows this increase in carbon dioxide uptake. There will come a point when the rate of photosynthesis has increased to match the rate of respiration.