Cambridge O Level Biology · Syllabus 5090 · Plant Nutrition
Optimum Temperature for Photosynthesis
What is Optimum Temperature for Photosynthesis?
The temperature at which the rate of photosynthesis is greatest. Below it, raising the temperature increases the kinetic energy of the molecules, so there are more successful collisions between the enzymes controlling photosynthesis and their substrates and the rate rises. Above it, the enzymes denature: the shape of the active site changes, substrates no longer fit, and the rate falls.
This definition is part of the Plant Nutrition chapter in Cambridge O Level Biology.
Last reviewed Syllabus 2026-2028