Explain the importance of inorganic ions in the process of photosynthesis and in the structure of cell membranes in a plant cell.

Magnesium ions are required to form chlorophyll, the pigment that absorbs light energy in photosynthesis. Without chlorophyll, light cannot be captured and photosynthesis cannot proceed.

Phosphate ions are essential for synthesising phospholipids, the main structural components of the cell membrane. Phospholipids assemble into a bilayer, giving the membrane its selective permeability.

Phosphate ions also form part of ATP, the energy currency of the cell, which supplies the energy for many cellular reactions.