# A student investigating plant growth cuts off all the leaves from a young plant. Explain why removing all the leaves would reduce the rate of cell elongation in the shoot tips of the plant.

> Pearson Edexcel A-Level Biology A (9BI0) — 2.4 Plant structure and function · Explain · 5 marks

> Plants produce auxin in meristem tissue at the shoot tip. Auxin moves down the shoot and causes cell elongation. Auxin production depends on the availability of sugars made during photosynthesis.

## Mark scheme (5 marks)

1. Leaves are the main site of photosynthesis
2. Without leaves, less glucose/sugar is produced by the plant
3. Less glucose available means less auxin can be produced/synthesised by meristem tissue
4. Auxin stimulates / causes cell elongation in shoot cells
5. With less auxin, cells in the shoot tip elongate less / at a reduced rate, so growth is reduced

## Key terms

- [cell elongation](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/cell-elongation)

## Related

- [Revision notes for Pearson Edexcel A-Level Biology A (9BI0)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/learn)
- [How to answer "Explain" questions](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/tools/command-word-cheatsheet)
- [Practice this with AI marking (free)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/start)

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Source: [GradeNine](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/q/a-student-investigating-plant-growth-cuts-cf85ad6b) · Published by Druglandscape Ltd.