The school is growing tomatoes using a hydroponics system. Hydroponics is a way of growing plants in a controlled system without traditional soil containing nutrients. Instead, nutrients that would be supplied by soils are added to water tanks at specific concentrations before the solution is pumped onto the plant root systems. This type of system allows for increased control over nutrient levels and allows for reduced water usage compared to outdoor crops because of minimal evaporation. An out-of-control thermostat in the science wing of the school resulted in a temperature that is known to increase thylakoid permeability to H+ ions.
(a) Identify which cellular process thylakoids are associated with.
(b) Explain why ions in the hydroponic tank cannot pass into the roots by simple diffusion.
(c) Predict the immediate effect this would have on the cell's ability to produce reactants necessary for carbon fixation.
(d) Justify your prediction.