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KCSE Photosynthesis — practice questions

Explore 56 free Photosynthesis questions in KCSE Biology. Open each question or exercise to read its content, reference answers and available explanation.

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Photosynthesis questions and exercises with answers

Showing questions 1–30 of 56.

Which three groups of organisms are the only ones capable of performing photosynthesis?Read the answer and worked solution →What name is given to an organism capable of producing its own organic compounds from sunlight?Read the answer and worked solution →How do chemoautotrophic bacteria obtain the energy they need to synthesise sugars?Read the answer and worked solution →What proportion of Earth's ecosystems is powered by photosynthesis?Read the answer and worked solution →Which three substrates does photosynthesis require?Read the answer and worked solution →Which simple carbohydrate is produced by photosynthesis and can later be converted into glucose or sucrose?Read the answer and worked solution →In which layer of the leaf does photosynthesis occur?Read the answer and worked solution →Why are stomata typically found on the underside of a leaf?Read the answer and worked solution →How do guard cells open and close a stoma?Read the answer and worked solution →How many membranes make up the envelope of a chloroplast?Read the answer and worked solution →What is a stack of thylakoids inside a chloroplast called?Read the answer and worked solution →What is the internal space enclosed by the thylakoid membrane called?Read the answer and worked solution →Which part of the chloroplast is the fluid-filled space surrounding the grana?Read the answer and worked solution →What is measured from one crest of a wave to the next consecutive crest?Read the answer and worked solution →How is the energy carried by electromagnetic radiation related to its wavelength?Read the answer and worked solution →Over which wavelength range do plant pigment molecules absorb light, a range called photosynthetically active radiation?Read the answer and worked solution →Which colours of visible light have the shortest wavelengths and therefore the highest energy?Read the answer and worked solution →Why does a pigment appear to be a particular colour?Read the answer and worked solution →Which two major classes of photosynthetic pigments are found in plants and algae?Read the answer and worked solution →How many major chlorophylls are there, apart from the related prokaryotic molecule?Read the answer and worked solution →What is the role of carotenoids in photosynthesis?Read the answer and worked solution →Why does chlorophyll appear green to the eye?Read the answer and worked solution →Which pigment is described as an accessory pigment that absorbs blue and red-orange light?Read the answer and worked solution →Which instrument measures transmitted light and computes the absorption of a pigment sample?Read the answer and worked solution →On what basis does chromatography separate plant pigments?Read the answer and worked solution →What is the overall function of the light-dependent reactions?Read the answer and worked solution →Where are the two types of photosystem found?Read the answer and worked solution →On what basis do the two photosystems differ from each other?Read the answer and worked solution →What is a photoact?Read the answer and worked solution →The cytochrome complex transfers electrons between which two carrier molecules?Read the answer and worked solution →

Worked practice questions

Which three groups of organisms are the only ones capable of performing photosynthesis?

  1. Plants, fungi and cyanobacteria
  2. Algae, fungi and most bacteria
  3. Plants, animals and green algae
  4. Plants, algae and cyanobacteria
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Correct answer: D. Plants, algae and cyanobacteria

1. Plants, algae and a group of bacteria called cyanobacteria are the only organisms capable of photosynthesis. 2. Because they use light to manufacture their own food, they are called photoautotrophs. 3. Animals, fungi and most other bacteria are heterotrophs and must rely on sugars made by others. 4. Any option listing fungi or animals therefore mixes a heterotroph into the list. _Source: OpenStax Biology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 8 "Photosynthesis", section 8.1 Overview of Photosynthesis_

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What name is given to an organism capable of producing its own organic compounds from sunlight?

  1. A heterotroph
  2. A photoautotroph
  3. A chemoautotroph
  4. A decomposer
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Correct answer: B. A photoautotroph

1. A photoautotroph is an organism capable of producing its own organic compounds from sunlight. 2. The name means literally a self-feeder using light. 3. A heterotroph consumes organic substances or other organisms for food instead. 4. A chemoautotroph builds organic molecules using energy from inorganic chemicals rather than sunlight. _Source: OpenStax Biology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 8 "Photosynthesis", section 8.1 Overview of Photosynthesis_

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How do chemoautotrophic bacteria obtain the energy they need to synthesise sugars?

  1. From inorganic chemical compounds
  2. From eating other living organisms
  3. From heat given off by the sun
  4. From sunlight absorbed by pigments
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Correct answer: A. From inorganic chemical compounds

1. A third group of bacteria synthesise sugars without using the energy of sunlight. 2. They extract energy from inorganic chemical compounds instead. 3. For that reason they are referred to as chemoautotrophs. 4. Thermophilic bacteria at deep sea vents are an example of this way of life. _Source: OpenStax Biology (1st ed., CC BY 4.0), Ch 8 "Photosynthesis", section 8.1 Overview of Photosynthesis_

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