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Photosynthesis

Carlos Escobedo

California State University, Fullerton

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Photosynthesis is a biological process utilized by plants to create sugar using carbon dioxide,

water and sunlight. The term derives from roots

photo- which means of light and synthesis- which

means formation or construction. This leads to a

basic meaning along the lines of formation from

light. Photosynthesis is food creation by the use of

light. Figure 1: Leaf section

Jon Sullivan: 5 January 2003
Along with a few other components in a leaf structure such as Fig.1 a photoautotroph, an

organism that creates its own food using light as the energy source, is able to use photosynthesis

to create sugars. Contrary to popular belief, plants are not the only organisms who use the

process of photosynthesis as a means of creating their source of food. Photosynthesis also

occurs in algae, certain other protists and some prokaryotes (Campbell 185).

Overall Process

The process of photosynthesis occurs via a series of cycles each containing a sequence of

reactions that generate an essential component to the product which is glucose. Carbon dioxide

gas from the environment reacts with water and sunlight to create sugar. As a byproduct to the

reactions that occur oxygen gas is also expelled in the course of the production of food for the

organism. The overall process is nearly identical across all organisms who utilize photosynthesis

as the means for feeding. In photosynthesis light is the crucial constant energy source for

reactions to occur.

Chemical Reaction

Figure 2: Visual representation of chemical reaction including reactants and products

Copyright 2005 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Benjamin Cummings. All rights reserved
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In practice photosynthesis is a redox reaction, otherwise known as a reduction-oxidation

reaction. In Figure 2 carbon dioxide is reduced whereas water is oxidized to create glucose,

C6H12O6. Photosynthesis synthesizes glucose through the use of carbon dioxide and water

additionally creating oxygen gas as a byproduct of the series of reactions. Overall, carbon

dioxide serves as the component that undergoes reduction to form glucose while water partakes

in oxidation to yield oxygen gas.

Components of Plants Used For Photosynthesis

The most critical components necessary for photosynthesis are the roots, stomata and

chlorophyll. These components of a plant serve as the pathways for obtaining the necessary items

for photosynthesis. Without function of either one of these structures photosynthesis would not

be viable. Roots are the most basic of the major components used in photosynthesis yet they

perform an essential function by absorbing water.

Stomata are openings on the surface of leaves that serve a function similar to that of lungs

in humans. They allow the plant to respire and exchange gases. Stomata allow for the uptake of

carbon dioxide and the expelling of oxygen by opening at the right times for the desired function.
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Chlorophyll, a green pigment located in the chloroplasts, is the means of light absorption

for use in driving the reaction to completion. Absorption of light in the spectrum from 380 nm to

750 nm is performed by the chlorophyll. The green part of the light spectrum is not absorbed

but is reflected which is the reason that most plants have a green color. (Wikipedia-

Photosynthesis).

Stages of Photosynthesis

Two stages or parts of photosynthesis contribute to the overall process. These are referred

to as the light reactions and the Calvin cycle. In each of these parts a critical component of the

process is created. In the light reactions stage water is oxidized yielding ATP, adenosine

triphosphate, an essential energy source used in the Calvin cycle and oxygen gas is expelled.

Utilization of the created ATP in the Calvin cycle allows for the reduction of carbon dioxide and

the formation of glucose through a series of sub reactions.

Light Reactions

Light from the sun excites the electrons in chlorophyll from their ground state to a state in which

they can be used for the oxidation of water which yields oxygen gas that is expelled through the

stomata. A sub reaction in the set of light reactions results in a conversion of ADP, adenosine

diphosphate, into ATP which is a more readily usable form of energy for use in the Calvin Cycle.

Calvin Cycle
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In the Calvin cycle the generated ATP from the light

reactions powers a series of sub reactions that create the end

product of photosynthesis, glucose by the reduction of carbon

dioxide. Utilization of ATP results in the regeneration of ADP

for use in the light reactions to subsequently create the ATP for

the Calvin cycle. The newly synthesized glucose can now be Figure 3: Diagram depicting interactions in and
between the light reactions and the Calvin
cycle
used by the plant to power the growth of the plant or 2010 Pearson Education Inc

organism.

Importance/Future

The importance of photosynthesis cannot be effectively dictated in a way that would accurately

depict the significant impact it has. According to Lamber and Bassham If photosynthesis

ceased, there would soon be little food or other organic matter on Earth. (Encyclopedia

Britannica). Due to photosynthesis taking in carbon dioxide and expelling oxygen it is the

process by which a majority of the Earths usable oxygen is created. Vidyasagar mentions the

possibility of using photosynthetic organisms to generate clean burning fuels such as hydrogen or

even methane. With this possibility and the demand for clean renewable fuel this advancement

holds great potential for future studies.

Works Cited (APA)

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Campbell, N. A. (2008). Biology (8th Edition ed.). Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Pearson Benjamin

Cummings.

Lamber, H., & Bassham, J. A. (n.d.). Photosynthesis. Retrieved February 21, 2017, from

https://www.britannica.com/science/photosynthesis

Photosynthesis. (2017, February 20). Retrieved February 21, 2017, from

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthesis

Vidyasagar, A. (2015, July 31). What Is Photosynthesis? Retrieved February 21, 2017, from

http://www.livescience.com/51720-photosynthesis.html

Postwrite: The definition strategies I have employed in my definition of my term are graphics,

partitioning and etymology. Several graphics were interspersed throughout my paper in an effort

to primarily give the reader visualization opportunities. The use of the first graphic was simply to

add color to the writing and hopefully draw readers in to the subject. Partitioning was used

throughout the paper to categorize large complex ideas into smaller more digestible fragments of

the overall process. The application of etymology and a deliberate initial delving into the origins

of the word helped simplify the words meaning to simple terms.