Plants absorb nitrogen compounds from fertilisers and use the nitrogen to build an important class of compounds needed for healthy growth. Which type of com...
Question 1 Report
Plants absorb nitrogen compounds from fertilisers and use the nitrogen to build an important class of compounds needed for healthy growth. Which type of compound in the plant requires nitrogen in order to be made?
Answer Details
Nitrogen is needed because every amino acid contains an amine group, \(\text{NH}_2\), and amino acids are joined together to build proteins. Proteins are used to make new cells for growth and to make enzymes, which is why a plant short of nitrogen is stunted with pale yellow leaves.
The plant absorbs nitrogen as nitrate ions dissolved in soil water and converts them into amino acids.
Starch and cellulose are both carbohydrates, containing only carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, and fats contain those same three elements, so none of them needs nitrogen. A quick test in the exam: if the compound contains no nitrogen atoms, nitrogen fertiliser is not required to make it.
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