During photosynthesis, plants absorb sunlight and release oxygen. The rate at which a leaf releases oxygen, the rate of photosynthesis, is a function of the age of the leaf. Figure 6.14 shows the rate of photosynthesis for a soybean leaf.
(a) Sketch a graph of the amount of oxygen, E(t), generated by this leaf during the first 20 days of life.
(b) Give the t-coordinate of the inflection point in your sketch and interpret what this point tells you about soybean leaves and oxygen.
(c) Give a symbolic expression that represents the total amount of oxygen released by this leaf in its first 10 days of life.
(d) Does the soybean leaf release more oxygen during the first 10 days of its life or during the second 10 days of its life?

Transcribed Image Text:

rate of photosynthesis (oxygen/day) 4 p(t) 12 Figure 6.14 20 t (days)