Open main menu

Chloroplast

Key Stage 3

Meaning

The small green chloroplasts can be seen inside these cells.

Chloroplasts are a part of some cells that uses photosynthesis to make food for the cell.

Function

The chloroplasts make food for the plant using photosynthesis.

About Chloroplasts

Chloroplasts are found in many plant cells and in Euglena.
Chloroplasts contain a green pigment called chlorophyll which allows it to perform photosynthesis.
The chloroplast is where photosynthesis takes place in a plant.
Some specialised plant cells do not have chloroplasts, such as Root Hair Cells. This is because they are are underground so they don't get any light for photosynthesis.

Examples

Chloroplasts are found in these three types of cell.
Palisade Cell Spongy Mesophyll Cell Euglena
PalisadeCellClipart.png
SpongyMesophyllCellClipart.png
EuglenaClipart.png
A cell has an elongated shape and lots of chloroplasts for photosynthesis. A cell found in the middle of a leaf. A unicellular organism that is neither plant nor animal.

Key Stage 4

Meaning

Chloroplasts are green organelles found in plant cells that contain chlorophyll and make food for the plant by photosynthesis.

Function

The chloroplasts make food for the plant by photosynthesis.

About Chloroplasts

Chloroplasts have their own DNA inside them which suggests they were once an independent organism that migrated into the early eukaryotic cells that became plant cells.
Chloroplasts are found in most plant cells and in some protists such as Euglena.
Many chloroplasts are found in the cells in the leaves of plants, particularly the palisade cells.
Chloroplasts contain a green pigment called chlorophyll which allows it to perform photosynthesis.
The chloroplast is where photosynthesis takes place in a plant.
Some specialised plant cells do not have chloroplasts, such as Root Hair Cells. This is because they are are underground so they don't get any light for photosynthesis.

Examples

Chloroplasts are found in these three types of cell.
Palisade Cell Spongy Mesophyll Cell Euglena
PalisadeCellClipart.png
SpongyMesophyllCellClipart.png
EuglenaClipart.png
A cell has an elongated shape and lots of chloroplasts for photosynthesis. A cell found in the middle of a leaf. A unicellular organism that is neither plant nor animal.

References

AQA

Chloroplast, pages 14, 19, GCSE Biology; Student Book, Collins, AQA
Chloroplasts, page 11, GCSE Combined Science; The Revision Guide, CGP, AQA
Chloroplasts, page 7, GCSE Biology; Third Edition, Oxford University Press, AQA
Chloroplasts, pages 11, 57, GCSE Biology; The Revision Guide, CGP, AQA
Chloroplasts, pages 24, 144, GCSE Combined Science Trilogy; Biology, CGP, AQA
Chloroplasts, pages 24, 158, GCSE Biology, CGP, AQA
Chloroplasts, pages 6, 96, GCSE Combined Science Trilogy 1, Hodder, AQA

Edexcel

Chloroplasts, pages 11, 47, GCSE Combined Science; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel
Chloroplasts, pages 12, 69, GCSE Biology; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel
Chloroplasts, pages 24, 198, GCSE Biology, CGP, Edexcel
Chloroplasts, pages 5, 124, GCSE Biology, Pearson, Edexcel
Chloroplasts, pages 5, 86, GCSE Combined Science, Pearson Edexcel

OCR

Chloroplasts, pages 11, 21, Gateway GCSE Combined Science; The Revision Guide, CGP, OCR
Chloroplasts, pages 12, 25, Gateway GCSE Biology; The Revision Guide, CGP, OCR
Chloroplasts, pages 19, 46-47, Gateway GCSE Biology, Oxford, OCR