Plants & Mineral Ions (Edexcel IGCSE Biology (Modular)): Revision Note
Exam code: 4XBI1
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Mineral Ions
Photosynthesis provides a source of carbohydrates, but plants contain and require many other types of biological molecule; such as proteins, lipids and nucleic acids (DNA)
As plants do not eat, they need to make these substances themselves
Carbohydrates contain the elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen but proteins, for example, contain nitrogen as well (and certain amino acids contain other elements too)
Two fundamental mineral ions required by plants are nitrogen and magnesium, without a source of these elements, plants cannot photosynthesise or grow properly
Plants obtain these elements in the form of mineral ions actively absorbed from the soil by root hair cells
‘Mineral’ is a term used to describe any naturally occurring inorganic substance
Mineral ion function and deficiencies in plants table


The effect of mineral deficiencies on plants
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