Describe the process of photosynthesis

What is photosynthesis?

Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants, collect and use the energy of sunlight to produce
glucose from carbon dioxide and water and other nutrients. This glucose can be converted into
something called pyruvate, which releases adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This way, oxygen can also be
formed in the plant.

Pyruvate

Pyruvate is a salt or ester that is made up of a acid called pyruvic acid.

Adenosine triphosphate

adenosine triphosphate is present in all living things. It is a complex organic chemical that helps
participate in many processes. Sometimes ATP is also referred to as the ‘Molecular unit of currency’ or
intracellular energy transfer.

The process of photosynthesis

It all begins when the plant absorbs the sunlight, meaning that photosynthesis only occurs during the
day.

The reason the sunlight is absorbed is so it can be turned into gloucous from carbon dioxide (which we
want to get rid of) water and some other nutrients from the light too

The equation of photosynthesis

Outline the raw materials that are required for photosynthesis and describe the process how the plant
transports the needed materials

To carry out the act of photosynthesis, green plants need several ingredients. This includes, Chlorophyll,
which is the pigment that makes a plant green. A plant also needs sunlight, which is the main source of
energy, water and carbon dioxide.

How is glucose produced and what happened to it

Green plants absorb the light energy from the sun by using the chlorophyll in their leaves, the reason
they absorb sunlight is to use it to react the carbon dioxide with to make a sugar called glucose. The
glucose is used in either the respiration or converted into starch and stored. Oxygen is produced as a by-
product. It travels through the phloem while the water travels through the xylem.

Describe how glucose is stored in the plant

Plant cells manufacture glucose though the process of photosynthesis, so when the glucose is present in
the excess, the plants store it in synthesized chains of sugar molecules called starch. During the process
of photosynthesis, it is the leaves of the plant that make the sugar, for the fuel and energy of the plant

Respiration: What is it?

This is the biological process performed by green plants that creates oxygen and releases carbon dioxide
into the air.

Respiration is the opposite of photosynthesis as it uses oxygen and releases carbon dioxide. The process
normally occurs at night while photosynthesis occurs during the day as it needs the sun to work.

Respiration occurs in the plants cells; the oxygen is used to produce energy and the carbon dioxide is a
waste product.

Plants will either go through photosynthesis or respiration depending on the condition the plant is in.

If the plant is in the dark, they will go though the respiration, which means overall oxygen is taken in and
carbon dioxide is given out.

Plants in dim light will go though both photosynthesis at an equal rate. This will mean that neither gas it
taken in or out due to equal rate of processes, it canceled out.

Bright light: what do we believe will happen