Understanding Photosynthesis
How Our Survival Depends On Plants
Every day people see, eat, and handle plants. But plants mean so much more to our world than the average person knows. Mostly every living thing on this planet depends on plants. This is because of a plant’s special way of getting food from the sun, this process is called photosynthesis. But, every day plants and trees are being killed and diminished by humans; this is only making things worse because plants are a gift that keeps us alive and thriving. Without plants, we wouldn’t be here.
Plants provide 90% of the world’s Oxygen, the gas that humans and animals need to survive. Plants produce Oxygen through the process of photosynthesis (the process in which plants produce their own food). Without plants, the human and animal population would drastically decrease.
Plants are on the bottom of the food chain in almost every ecosystem. This is because they are abundant and are one of the most important organisms (living things) to other organisms. Plants get their energy from the sun, that energy then gets transferred to herbivores (animals that only eat plants) when they eat plants. We (humans), and other omnivores (animals that eat meat and plants), and carnivores (animals that only eat meat) get the plants energy passed to us by eating the animals that eat the plants which get their energy from the sun.
Unlike me and you, plants do not get their needed nutrition from consuming it (eating it like we do). Plants are producers (that means they can make their own food to sustain themselves). The major gas that we consumers need to survive is Oxygen. However, plants only require a small amount of Oxygen to survive, the main gas that plants need is Carbon Dioxide. When we inhale Oxygen we exhale Carbon Dioxide. This helps plants because we don’t need the gas that they need.
An energy transformation is the way to explain photosynthesis in a nut shell. In photosynthesis, energy goes from radiant to chemical.This is because plants get their Radiant energy (light energy) from the sun, through photosynthesis; it is converted into chemical energy. Chemical energy is the energy stored in food. The plants food (glucose) that is made by the plant contains this energy. This is what feeds the plant and helps it survive.
The specific plant cells that are responsible for photosynthesis are called chloroplast. This specific cell is where photosynthesis occurs. Then, tiny openings on the bottom of the plant’s leaves called Stoma (or Stomata) allow gas exchange in the plant (Carbon Dioxide goes in, Oxygen comes out). Plants use water, (collected from their roots) and Radiant energy (light energy from the sun) to create their food (glucose). Oxygen is then let out of the Stoma as a waste product; this is how plants provide us with one of our most valuable resources.
The key ingredients to photosynthesis are called reactants. Reactants are things that react to start a reaction in a process. For example, Radiant energy, H2O (water), and Carbon dioxide are all reactants in the process of photosynthesis because they react to start the process of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis also has two products.
Products are the things made by a reaction. In this case, photosynthesis produces Oxygen and glucose.
The world is being hurt every day because of the slaying of trees and plants. We can help reverse this problem by promoting planting trees and plants to increase earth’s Oxygen production. If we plant more plants, then the earth as a whole will be healthier. So plant plants to help every aspect of life, and to protect and conserve Oxygen for new generations to come.
The Formula For Photosynthesis
The process of photosynthesis has a specific formula. It is made up of reactants and products. It is 6CO₂ + 6H₂O (Light ) C6H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂. The first two components are Carbon Dioxide and water, then when Radiant energy is added (as shown above) it makes glucose and Oxygen (the last two components). Carbon Dioxide, water, and Radiant energy are the reactants, and glucose and Oxygen are the products.
You can read a detailed description of what reactants and products are in the above essay.
Extra Information!
Stoma
Stoma, also called Stomata is where gas exchange happens in a plant.
Chloroplast
Here is a picture of a chloroplast (the plant cell where photosynthesis occurs). A plants green color comes from a chemical in chloroplast called chlorophyll.
Extra Diagram
This diagram shows a simple visual aid of how photosynthesis works!