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Gas Exchange: Night vs Day (Edexcel IGCSE Biology)
Revision Note
Gas Exchange: Night vs Day
- Plants can only photosynthesise when they have access to light, however, cells respire all the time
- This means that gas exchange in plants varies throughout a 24 hour period
- During the daytime plants both respire and photosynthesise
- The rate of photosynthesis tends to be higher than the rate of respiration (unless there is a low light intensity)
- Therefore there is a net diffusion of carbon dioxide into the plant and a net diffusion of oxygen out of the plant during the day
- During the nighttime, plants only respire
- This means that there is a net movement of oxygen into the plant and a net diffusion of carbon dioxide out of the plant during the nighttime
- At low light intensities, the rate of photosynthesis is equal to the rate of respiration
- This means that there is no net movement of oxygen or carbon dioxide in either direction
Plants photosynthesise and respire during the day but only respire at night time
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