Shortcut Methods
Shortcut Methods and Tricks to Solve Numericals on Photosynthesis and Respiration:
Photosynthesis
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To find the energy of a single photon of light: E (in Joules) = (6.626 × 10^-34 J s^-1 × 3.0 × 10^8 m s^−1)/(Wavelength (in meters))
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To find the number of photons striking a surface per second: Number of photons = (Light intensity in J m^-2 s^-1) / (Energy of a single photon in Joules)
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For calculating the rate of photosynthesis using efficiency: Rate of photosynthesis = Efficiency × Number of absorbed photons × Energy per photon
Respiration
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To find the total energy utilized by the body: Total energy utilized = Efficiency × Food consumed
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To convert Calories (Kcal) to Joules (J): 1 Kcal = 4186 J
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To find the amount of substrate utilized: Amount of substrate oxidized = (Total energy utilized) / (Energy value of completely oxidized food material).
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To calculate the volume of oxygen required for respiration: Amount of O2 required = Amount of substrate oxidized × Molar mass of O2 / Molar mass of glucose × Stoichiometry factor for oxygen (Stoichiometry factor depends on the balanced equation)
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To find the volume of gas using the ideal gas law: V = nRT/P
Remember to use appropriate conversion factors and units throughout your calculations. Mastering these shortcuts and tricks can help you solve numerical problems on photosynthesis and respiration quickly and efficiently.