Lesson T1.3.6

T1.3.6 How plants obtain carbohydrates and minerals Quiz: KS3 Biology, Unit 1

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson T1.3.6, How plants obtain carbohydrates and minerals: 20 multiple choice questions for the KS3 Biology (National Curriculum), Unit 1: Structure and function of living organisms, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Where do plants make carbohydrates?

    • In the roots, by absorbing starch
    • In the flowers, by pollination
    • In the leaves, by photosynthesis
    • In the stem, by respiration

  2. Which words describe the word summary for photosynthesis?

    • Glucose + oxygen gives carbon dioxide + water, releasing energy
    • Oxygen + starch gives water and carbon dioxide in the leaf
    • Carbon dioxide + water, using light and chlorophyll, gives glucose + oxygen
    • Water, using light and chlorophyll, gives glucose + carbon dioxide

  3. Which mineral does a plant need to make chlorophyll?

    • Calcium
    • Magnesium
    • Iodine
    • Sodium

  4. Which mineral is needed by plants to make proteins?

    • Sodium
    • Calcium
    • Iodine
    • Nitrate

  5. Which part of a plant absorbs water and mineral ions from the soil?

    • Palisade cells in leaves
    • Root hair cells
    • Flower petals
    • Seeds

  6. Why do root hair cells have a large surface area?

    • To make photosynthesis faster in the dark
    • To store glucose and starch for later use
    • To support the plant's leaves and stem
    • To absorb more water and minerals from the soil

  7. What is the main form in which plants store the glucose they make?

    • Starch
    • Cellulose only
    • Nitrate
    • Amino acids

  8. Why does a plant need nitrate from the soil?

    • To make amino acids and proteins
    • To open the stomata
    • To release energy from glucose
    • To make chlorophyll only

  9. A plant has pale or yellowing leaves. Which mineral shortage is a likely cause?

    • Sodium
    • Nitrate
    • Iodine
    • Calcium

  10. Which process supplies the glucose a plant needs to make cellulose for its cell walls?

    • Germination
    • Photosynthesis
    • Transpiration only
    • Diffusion of water

  11. What do plants use carbohydrates from photosynthesis for?

    • Releasing energy and building cell walls
    • Only making chlorophyll in the leaves
    • Only producing seeds and fruit for dispersal
    • Only storing water in the root system

  12. Which gas do plants need for photosynthesis?

    • Nitrogen
    • Hydrogen
    • Carbon dioxide
    • Helium

  13. Which other requirement, besides carbon dioxide and water, do plants need to make glucose?

    • Light energy
    • Nitrogen gas
    • Starch
    • Oxygen gas

  14. Magnesium deficiency in plants affects which substance?

    • Nitrate
    • Starch
    • Chlorophyll
    • Cellulose

  15. Two plants are grown, one with nitrate and one without. Which difference is expected?

    • The plant without nitrate makes extra chlorophyll in its leaves
    • The plant without nitrate grows poorly and has pale leaves
    • The plant without nitrate grows faster and has darker leaves
    • No difference is expected in growth or leaf colour

  16. Why do plants need to take in both minerals and water through their roots?

    • Minerals make photosynthesis happen without light and without chlorophyll
    • Roots store minerals and water only for the leaves to use later
    • Water is not needed by plants because they make their own food in light
    • Minerals are needed for growth, and water is needed for many reactions and transport

  17. Through which structure does water enter the plant from the soil?

    • Root hair cells
    • Bark on the stem
    • Flowers
    • Stomata in the leaves

  18. What is a mineral ion?

    • A gas taken in by leaves through the stomata
    • A type of vitamin needed in small amounts
    • A charged particle of an element dissolved in water
    • A type of sugar made by plants in the leaves

  19. A farmer adds fertiliser containing nitrate and magnesium to a field. Why?

    • To provide sugars for photosynthesis in the leaves
    • To make the plant produce oxygen only at night
    • To replace the water that the soil has lost
    • To provide minerals that plants cannot make themselves

  20. Which substance made in leaves is transported to other parts of the plant?

    • Water from the roots
    • Carbon dioxide
    • Nitrate from the soil
    • Glucose or starch

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