The process of photosynthesis is what plants, algae, and bacteria use to create the energy they need to survive. This process is also what gives them their structure.
Photosynthesis is a way for plants to extract energy from light and carbon dioxide, creating oxygen as a by-product. This process takes place in cells known as chloroplasts.
There are two stages of photosynthesis: the light-dependent reaction and the light-independent reaction. The light-dependent reaction takes place first, and it produces one molecule of glucose (a type of sugar) and six molecules of oxygen. The light-independent reaction then takes place, which produces the remaining glucose molecules using the glucose produced in the first stage and more oxygen.
There are many important facts about photosynthesis that you should know. You will learn about some of these facts in the following article.
What happens to the carbon dioxide?
When plants absorb carbon dioxide, they use it to create carbohydrates, the primary building block of plant life. All plants need carbon dioxide to live, so once a plant has absorbed enough to create new leaves and stems, it can no longer absorb more.
Plants have a hard time letting go of anything they’ve already acquired, which is why plants cannot continue to photosynthesize once they have enough carbon dioxide.
Luckily for them, a process called photorespiration occurs that uses some of the previously acquired carbon dioxide in order to create necessary sugars for the plant. This happens through a chemical reaction that transfers oxygen to a dehydrated carbohydrate.
However, this process uses up some of the plant’s energy so there is not too much of it occurring.
What happens to the water?
When a cell produces glucose from carbon dioxide and sunshine, it also produces a small amount of water. This happens as a result of the photosynthetic process, when the sunlight energizes the reactions that create glucose.
Most of the time, this cellular water is reabsorbed back into the plant. However, when a plant is not very hydrous, or if it is an older plant that has dried out, this does not happen.
When this happens, the plants can either be dried out and then burned, or they can be used in composting programs where they are mixed with other organic matter to help promote growth.
In both cases, this helps to replenish some of the lost water content in the plant through re-absorption of the cellular water.
Does this process have an effect on the environment?
Definitely! All of the processes that occur in nature affect the environment around us. Some of these processes are photosynthesis, respiration, and decomposition.
Photo respiration is when a plant uses light energy to create carbon dioxide and sugar. This occurs during the night when photosynthesis does not.
Decomposition is the breaking down of dead material into small particles. This occurs through bacteria, fungi, and other organisms that live off of dead material.
Both of these processes contribute to environmental carbon sinks. A carbon sink is any place that absorbs carbon from the atmosphere and keeps it there for a long time. Forests are major carbon sinks because they contain so many plants that use photosynthesis to grow.
How does photosynthesis work?
Understanding how photosynthesis works is an important part of understanding the world we live in.
All living things need energy in order to survive, grow, and thrive. Photosynthesis is a process that some plants use to generate energy from sunlight, carbon dioxide (CO2), and water (H2O).
This process results in the creation of glucose molecules (a form of carbohydrate) and oxygen (O2) molecules. All living things need glucose and oxygen to survive, so this is a very important reaction!
Photosynthesis occurs in plants’ cells called chloroplasts. There are two steps to the process: CO2 fixation and oxidation/assimilation. In the first step, CO2 fixation, light energy is used to convert carbon dioxide into organic compounds called carbonyl compounds. In the second step, oxidation and assimilation, these carbonyl compounds are integrated into glucose using water as a source of hydrogen.
What is the rate of photosynthesis?
The rate of photosynthesis is the amount of carbon dioxide reduced per unit time. This rate is dependent on the light intensity, the temperature of the cell, and the availability of resources.
Light intensity is a factor because photosynthesis only occurs when photons (light particles) stimulate the chemical reaction. The higher the light intensity, the more photosynthesis occurs.
A higher temperature inhibits photosynthesis due to heat-stress on the cells. Less available resources also inhibit photosynthesis due to starving the cell of what it needs to grow and multiply.
These factors play important roles in regulating how much photosynthesis occurs in a given time period. They are both important considerations when studying photosynthetic organisms.
Are there any environmental issues with photosynthesis?
There are some concerns about photosynthesis as an environmental issue. Most importantly, the CO2 that plants consume and convert into glucose to produce energy is a limited resource.
With how many plants exist on Earth and the size of forests, there is a pretty steady supply of CO2. However, climate change is causing some trees to die off, which leads to less plants.
This happens in two ways: first, when wildfires burn trees, that removes some of the biomass; second, climate change causes some trees to die off. Both of these lead to less CO2 absorption and distribution.
Some research has even found that photosynthesis may contribute to climate change by producing oxidants during this process.
Can humans help with photosynthesis?
Yes, and this is called plant collaboration. Plant collaboration is when humans help plants with photosynthesis by providing them with nutrients and water.
Plants require both glucose and oxygen to produce carbohydrates via photosynthesis. Since humans can provide plants with glucose through fertilizer and water can be absorbed through roots, humans have the ability to help plants complete the reaction of photosynthesis.
Human-assisted photosynthesis is known as crop rotation, where different crops are planted in different fields every year. This uses land more efficiently, and prevents soil from becoming too depleted of nutrients.
So next time you go outside and walk around your garden, check your lawn for any holes! If you find any, fill them with dirt or garden compost to help your plants grow stronger.
What is photorespiration?
When oxygen molecules are released as a result of photosynthesis, this is a direct process. However, there’s a second process that can occur in plants called photorespiration.
When plants use glucose to make starch and other compounds, something called RuBisCo is produced. RuBisCo is a protein that acts as a catalyst when sunlight hits it, helping it to make more glucose.
But when there’s too much light exposure, RuBisCo can actually begin to degrade starch back into glucose and amylase (a chemical that breaks down starch). This is what is known as photorespiration.
Photorespiration actually uses up some of the glucose needed for the plant to manufacture other substances. As such, some researchers believe that this process may contribute to plant stress.
