Photosynthesis

Front 1

What is Photosynthesis

Back 1

Photosynthesis is a chemical reaction in which light energy is converted to chemical energy in glucose. It is the means by which the energy in sunlight becomes usable to living things. Living things can eat glucose, we can't eat sunlight.

Front 2

Exa​ctly why is photosynthesis so important?

Back 2

Two big reasons. One product of photosynthesis is glucose (sugar), which provides the basis for most food chains. The second product of photosynthesis is oxygen which comes in handy if your happen to be an aerobic organism that requires oxygen for survival. (us)

Front 3

Where does Photosythesis occur?

Back 3

This question can be answered on various levels.
On the planetary level, most photosynthesis occurs in the oceans, because the oceans occupy the vast majority (70%) of the earth's surface. In terms of organisms, photosynthesis occurs in autotrophes that contain the green pigment chlorophyll. This would include the entire plant kingdom, "half" of the Protista (the algae), & "half" the Moneran Kingdom (the blue-green algae). On the multicellular level, photosynthesis occurs in the leaves of plants. We will take an up-close & personal look at these in a bit ... On the cellular level, the reactions for photosynthesis occur in organelles called chloroplasts (in eukaryotic cells). Blue-green algae (which are prokaryotic) carry-out the photosythesis reactions in the cytoplasm

Front 4

What raw materials are needed for the process of photosynthesis?

Back 4

Chlorophyll must be present. (Chlorophyll absorbs solar energy).
Sunlight is necessary. That's why we call it PHOTOsynthesis.
And from the environment, photosynthetic organisms must get water & carbon dioxide.

Front 5

To which "life function" is photosynthesis related?

Back 5

Photosynthesis falls under nutrition, autotrophic nutrition to be exact. Nutrition has to do with how organisms obtain the materials necessary for energy, growth, etc. We call these necessary materials nutients.
"Autotrophic" means that the organism makes the nutrients on its own using materials in the environment (see the above box).

Front 6

How can we summarize photosynthesis ?

Back 6

In words, remember this:

carbon dioixde + water + light energy ---> glucose + oxygen + water

As a chemical reaction it's like so:

CO2 + H2O + light energy ---> C6H12O6 + O2 + H2O