What are the two primary components of vascular tissue?
Xylem (transports water/minerals) and phloem (transports sugars).
What is a primary limitation of non-vascular plants (Bryophytes)?
They lack xylem/phloem, so they must stay small and live in moist areas for osmosis and swimming sperm.
What are the three main organs found in vascular plants?
Roots, stems, and leaves.
How do seedless plants reproduce differently than seed plants?
Seedless plants use spores and require water for sperm to swim; seed plants use seeds and pollen.
How many cotyledons (seed leaves) do Monocots vs. Dicots have?
Monocots have one; Dicots have two.
What is the difference in leaf vein patterns between Monocots and Dicots?
Monocots have parallel veins; Dicots have branched/net-like veins.
What is the difference in root systems between Monocots and Dicots?
Monocots have fibrous roots; Dicots have a taproot.
What is the function of the leaf cuticle?
A waxy outer layer that prevents water loss.
What are stomata and what do they do?
Tiny pores on the leaf surface that allow for gas exchange (in, out).
Where does the majority of photosynthesis occur in a leaf?
In the mesophyll (specifically the palisade layer).
What happens during the Light-Dependent Reactions?
Sunlight splits water to release Oxygen and creates energy molecules (ATP and NADPH).
What happens during the Dark Reactions (Calvin Cycle)?
and energy (ATP/NADPH) are used to produce glucose (sugar).
What is Photoperiodism?
A plant’s physiological response to the length of day or night (often triggering flowering).
What is the purpose of Cellular Respiration in plants?
To break down glucose to produce ATP (energy) for the plant’s survival.
Define Phototropism and Gravitropism.
Phototropism: Growth toward light; Gravitropism: Growth in response to gravity.
What are the functions of Auxin and Ethylene?
Auxin: Controls cell elongation and tropisms; Ethylene: A gas hormone that causes fruit to ripen.
What is the difference between the Gametophyte and Sporophyte stages?
Gametophyte is haploid (n) and produces gametes; Sporophyte is diploid (2n) and produces spores.
Which stage is dominant in Mosses (Non-vascular)?
The Gametophyte (the green, leafy part).
Which stage is dominant in Ferns, Gymnosperms, and Angiosperms?
The Sporophyte.
How do Gymnosperms differ from Angiosperms in seed production?
Gymnosperms produce ‘naked’ seeds in cones; Angiosperms produce seeds inside flowers/fruit.
What is ‘double fertilization’ in Angiosperms?
One sperm fertilizes the egg (embryo), and another joins with polar nuclei to form the endosperm (food supply).
What are the common methods of seed dispersal?
Wind, water, animal ingestion (fruit), and animal attachment (burrs).
What are the three main parts of a seed?
The Embryo, the Food Supply (endosperm), and the Seed Coat.
What is seed germination?
The process where a seed ends dormancy and begins to grow into a seedling, triggered by water and temperature.
