What is the name of the process by which plants take sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water, allowing them to make sugar and oxygen
The name of the process by which plants take sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water, allowing them to make sugar and oxygen is called photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is a vital process for the survival of plants and other photosynthetic organisms.
To understand how plants perform photosynthesis, let's break it down into a few steps:
1. First, plants have specialized structures in their cells called chloroplasts, which contain a pigment called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is responsible for capturing sunlight.
2. Sunlight energy is absorbed by chlorophyll, triggering a series of chemical reactions. During these reactions, water molecules from the plant's roots are split, releasing oxygen as a byproduct. This process is called photolysis.
3. The absorbed sunlight energy is then used to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air into glucose, a type of sugar. This step is known as the carbon fixation.
4. Glucose serves as the primary energy source for plants. It can be used immediately, stored as starch for later use, or used to synthesize other important molecules like cellulose, proteins, and fats.
So, in summary, photosynthesis is the process by which plants convert sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into sugar (glucose) and oxygen. This process occurs in specialized structures called chloroplasts and requires the pigment chlorophyll to capture sunlight energy.