Photosynthesis, Sunlight, Carbon dioxide,Water and Oxygen

The first phase of photosynthesis consists of reactions that require light, usually sunlight. Light energy from the sun is trapped by the plant's chlorophyll, or green coloring, located in the chloroplasts. The chlorophyll changes light energy to chemical energy, which is used to split molecules of water into hydrogen and oxygen.

Molecules. Chemistry, Physics, the smallest physical unit of an element or compound, consisting of one or more like atoms in an element and two or more different atoms in a compound.

This equation summarizes all the reactions that make up photosynthesis. This ingredients of photosynthesis--six molecules of carbon dioxide and twelve molecules of water--are shown on the left side of the equation. The products of photosynthesis, one molecule of sugar [ glucose], six molecules of oxygen, and six molecules of water, are shown on the right side of the equation.

Carbon dioxide, colorless odorless gas. Algae, any of numerous groups of chlorophyll-containing, mainly aquatic eukaryotic organisms ranging from microscopic single-celled forms to multicellular forms 100 feet 30 meters or more long, distinguished from plants by the absence of true roots stems, and leaves and by lack of nonreproductive cells in the reproductive structures.

The second phase of photosynthesis consist of dark reactions, those that do not require light to take place. During this phase, the hydrogen produced from water in the light reactions combines with carbon [ from carbon dioxide taken from the air] to form sugar. The rest of the hydrogen combines with oxygen to form water.

Photosynthesis can be shown as a chemical equation. In the equation below, the arrow with the words light energy and chlorophyll means yield when these elements are present. Light energy, chlorophyll 6CO2 + 12H2 - C6H12O6 + 6O2 + 6H2O carbon dioxide + water -sugar + oxygen + water.

Plants use the sun's energy to produce their own food through a process called photosynthesis. Animals get energy by eating plants or other animals that eat plants.

Photosynthesis, the complex process by which carbon dioxide, water, and certain inorganic salts are converted into carbohydrates by green plants, algae, and certain bacteria, using energy from the sun and chlorophyll.

Sugar is used as food and to build other substances that the plant needs, such as starches.

Starches, a white tasteless, solid carbohydrate, occurring in the form of minute granules in the seeds, tubers, and other parts of plants, and forming an important constituent of rice, corn, wheat, beans, potatoes, and many other vegetable foods.

When animals eats plants, they get energy from the sugar created in photosynthesis. The water is used by the plant or released into the atmosphere. The oxygen is released into the atmosphere, where it can be used by other organisms.

Sugar, a sweet, crystalline substance, obtained chiefly from the juice of the sugarcane and the sugar beet, and present in sorghum, maple sap.