PHOTOSYNTHESIS

Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants produce food. The action of light on
carbon dioxide and water syntheses carbohydrates. The process is complex but it can be
simplified in the following equation.

Light energy C6H12O6 + 6O2

chlorophyll (glucose)

Chlorophyll is the substance which makes plants green. It is essential to the process. Glucose
is a carbohydrate which plants need. The equation shows how the water molecule is split, and
yields oxygen as a by-product. Sunlight provides the energy for the whole process, which
takes place in the chlorophyll layer of leaves. Leaves have to be broad enough to catch and
absorb the amount of sunlight needed by the plant. The carbon for the process is obtained
from atmospheric carbon dioxide. This is absorbed through stomata which are small openings
on the underside of leaves.

The hydrogen for the process comes from water which is drawn up from the soil through the
plant’s roots. Plants give off the excess oxygen which is vital to the growth of living cells in
other forms of life. Sugars, such as glucose, are used by plants as a source of energy. They
are the foods which plants need in order to grow. Plants, in turn, provide food for all other
forms of life.

Differences in plant and animal nutrition

Plants characteristically synthesize complex organic substances from simple organic raw
materials. In green plants the energy for this process is sunlight. Plants can use this energy
because they possess the green pigment chlorophyll. Photosynthesis, or "light-synthesis" is a
"self-feeding" or autotrophic process.

Animals, on the other hand, must obtain complex organic substances by eating plants or other
animals. The reason for this is that they lack chlorophyll. Among these "other-feeders", or
heterotrophs, we distinguish between "solid-feeders" or phagotrophs, and "liquid-feeders"
or osmotrophs. Whereas phagotrophic organisms take in solid and often living food,
osmotrophic ones absorb or suck up liquid food, usually from dead or rotting animals.

Plants and animals, then have characteristically different feeding methods. However, we
cannot define plants as autotrophs and animals as heterotrophs. The reason for this is that
many plants lack chlorophyll and feed heterotrophically, and some animals do have
chlorophyll and feed autotrophically.
PHOTOSYNTHESIS

Print this out and give it to the teacher in class.

1. Say which of these best explains the process of photosynthesis.

1. The production of food from chlorophyll.

2. The production of glucose from oxygen and carbon dioxide.
3. The production of carbohydrates from carbon and oxygen.
4. The production of chlorophyll from sunlight and water.
5. The production of carbohydrates from water and carbon dioxide.
6. The production of oxygen from carbon dioxide and carbohydrates.

2. Label this simple diagram of a plant.