While helping his mother trim the garden shrubs, Adarsh noticed tiny white dots on the stem of a guava plant. Curious, he gently scratched the bark and saw the spots remained unchanged, unlike normal tissue. Later during his biology class, he understood that these pores are respiratory structures. His biology teacher explained that plants do not have lungs like us but they also respire with the help of pores present on the stem as well as on the surfaces of leaves.

(a) What are these special pores found on the surface of stems and on the surface of leaves called ?

(b) Are the main steps of respiration in plants similar to that in humans ?

(c) Name the cell organelle which is mainly involved in the production of energy.

(d) Which surface of the leaves contains more number of these respiratory pores and how is it advantageous to the plants ?

(e) Write two more significant processes which occur through these respiratory pores found on the surface of leaves.

(a) These special pores found on the surface of stems are called lenticels and on the surface of leaves are called stomata.

(b) Yes, the main steps of respiration in plants are similar to those in humans. They include glycolysis and the Krebs cycle.

(c) The cell organelle which is mainly involved in the production of energy is mitochondria.

(d) The lower surface of leaves contains more number of these respiratory pores.
It is advantageous because it reduces water loss while still allowing gas exchange.

(e) Two more significant processes which occur through these pores are transpiration and exchange of gases required for photosynthesis.