Chapter 6, Problem 6.55P

Photosynthesis, as it occurs in the leaves of a green plant, involves the transport of carbon dioxide $\left({\text{CO}}_{\text{2}}\right)$ from the atmosphere to the chloroplasts of the leaves. The rate of photosynthesis may be quantified in terms of the rate of ${\text{CO}}_{\text{2}}$ assimilation by the chloroplasts. This assimilation is strongly influenced by ${\text{CO}}_{\text{2}}$ transfer through the boundary layer that develops on the leaf surface. Under conditions for which the density of ${\text{CO}}_{\text{2}}$ is ${\text{6×10}}^{-4}{\text{kg/m}}^{\text{3}}$ in the air and $5\times {10}^{-4}{\text{kg/m}}^{\text{3}}$ at the leaf surface and the convection mass transfer coefficient is ${10}^{-2}\text{m/s,}$ what is the rate of photosynthesis in terms of kilograms of ${\text{CO}}_{\text{2}}$ assimilated per unit time and area of leaf surface?