Plant Photosynthesis Process

Plants use the process of photosynthesis to make their own food.

Photosynthesis is an important natural process that not only supports plants but also the whole animal kingdom, including humans. The process is a simple one, where water, carbon dioxide and light combine to create sugar and oxygen.

Leaf Parts

A seemingly simple leaf is a complex object.

A leaf can be divided into three basic layers. The first layer is the upper epidermis that acts as a environmental barrier. The middle layer called the mesophyll contains chloroplasts where chlorophyll is located and where vascular bundles or veins are present. These veins are involved in the transportation of water and nutrients throughout the plant. The lower epidermis is where the stomata are located and CO2 and O2 are exchanged.

Photochemical Stage

The sun is an important component to the process of photosynthesis.

The first stage of photosynthesis is called the photochemical stage. This stage is where six molecules of CO2 are taken in by the stomata and combined with six molecules of H2O that is moved through the plant by the veins in the leaf. Sunlight is then combined with these molecules and moved on to the chemical stage.

Chemical Stage

Glucose is an end product of photosynthesis.

The chemical stage of photosynthesis is simply taking these basic building blocks and converting them into food for the plant through a process called the Calvin Cycle. This cycle moves these molecules into sugar or glucose (C6H12O6) and oxygen (6O2), which is released through the stomata.

Resources

• Calvin Cycle