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What is photosynthesis
What is photosynthesis
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Photosynthesis is a biological process that converts the raw materials of carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants can prepare their own food. ‘Photo’ means light and ‘synthesis’ means production or preparation. Therefore, the process of photosynthesis involves preparation of food using light from the Sun.
The process of photosynthesis is carried out in the leaves of green plants. The raw materials required for photosynthesis are : light (obtained from sunlight), water (obtained from the soil by the roots) and carbon dioxide (from the air). Using these raw materials and in the presence of the green-coloured pigment chlorophyll, plants prepare glucose, which can be burnt to provide energy in all organisms. Another important byproduct of photosynthesis is oxygen, which helps most organisms to sustain.
It generally occurs in the leaves of green plants and requires light energy in order to make the reaction happen. (It is a photochemical reaction as it requires light and it is endothermic as it absorbs energy)
Photosynthesis itself occurs in chloroplasts which contain the green pigment known as chlorophyll.
The equations for this reaction are.
carbon dioxide + water → glucose + oxygen
6CO₂ + 6H₂O → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂
The glucose produced is then used by the plant in order to allow respiration which releases energy needed for the plant. The glucose can also be stored by the plant as starch or converted into many other useful products.
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Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants and certain other organisms transform light energy into the chemical energy. During photosynthesis in green plants, light energy is captured and used to convert water,carbon dioxide, and minerals into oxygen and energy- rich organic compounds.
Photosynthesis also applies to other organisms besides green plants. These include several prokaryotes such as cyanobacteria, purple bacteria and green sulfur bacteria. These organisms exhibit photosynthesis just like green plants. The glucose produced during photosynthesis is then used to fuel various cellular activities. The by – product of this physio-chemical process is oxygen.
The Reaction of photosynthesis is
Carbon dioxide + Water ——> Glucose + Oxygen
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All living being in order to sustain life requires food. We human beings get our food directly or indirectly from plants. But the green plants in order to stay alive make their own food, the scientific process by which plants prepare their food is termed as PHOTOSYNTHESIS. The word “photo” means light and the word “synthesis” means putting together. Photosynthesis is a process by which phototrophs convert light energy into chemical energy, which is later used to fuel cellular activities.
The plant cells prepare their own food and for this process they primarily require some inorganic raw materials:
I. Carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>)
II. Water (H<sub>2</sub>O)
III. Sunlight
IV. Chlorophyll
Ø Plants absorb water from the soil through the roots, they intake the carbon dioxide from the environment through the stomatal pores present in the leaves.
Ø These stomatal pores are surrounded by a pair of guard cells and helps in releasing the oxygen which is produced during photosynthesis.
Ø With the help of Carbon dioxide and water in presence of the green pigment named chlorophyll in their leaves and sunlight the plants produce carbohydrates, which from the leaves are then transported into each and every part of the plant. The extra carbohydrates are stored in the form of starch which in future yields fruits.
The process of photosynthesis is commonly written as: 6CO<sub></sub>2 + 6H<sub>2</sub>O → C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>12</sub>O<sub>6</sub> + 6O<sub>2</sub>. This means that the reactants, six carbon dioxide molecules and six water molecules, are converted by light energy captured by chlorophyll (implied by the arrow) into a sugar molecule and six oxygen molecules, the products.
