chloroplast

Everyday

A tiny green part inside plant cells where photosynthesis happens: it uses sunlight to make food (sugar) from water and carbon dioxide, giving off oxygen. tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons on cells, chloroplasts are found in plant cells but not animal cells; they contain chlorophyll, the green pigment that makes leaves green. Pupils label them on cell diagrams, together with the nucleus, cell wall and vacuole.

Examples

• Chloroplasts make food for the plant using sunlight. tree →
• Plant cells have chloroplasts, but animal cells do not. tree →
• Chloroplasts contain green chlorophyll. tree →
• Under the microscope, we saw green chloroplasts in the leaf cells. tree →
• Photosynthesis happens inside the chloroplasts. tree →
• Label the chloroplast on your cell diagram. tree →

Note

Countable: a chloroplast, chloroplasts. chloro = green, plast = formed thing. Trap: chlorophyll is the green chemical; the chloroplast is the tiny part of the cell that holds it. Nothing to do with chlorine except the Greek word for green.