Sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water are required for photosynthesis. Examine the graph. What is the best explanation for the rel
ationship between light intensity and the rate of photosynthesis. A) As light intensity increases, the rate of photosynthesis decreases.
B) As light intensity increases, the rate of photosynthesis increases as well.
C) Light is required for photosynthesis, but light intensity doesn't influence the rate of photosynthesis.
D) As light intensity increases, the rate of photosynthesis increases until photosynthesis reaches its maximum rate.
D) As light intensity increases, the rate of photosynthesis increases until photosynthesis reaches its maximum rate.
Explanation:
When the plant is in the dark, it will only consume oxygen since it is only breathing and not performing photosynthesis. When exposed to light that gradually increases in intensity, at any given moment, all the oxygen produced in photosynthesis will be used in photosynthesis itself.
This point is called the photic or light compensation point. From this point on, the increasing amount of light increases photosynthesis rates. However, at some point, photosynthesis rates stabilize, as all chlorophyll molecules are saturated with light energy (light saturation point).
