The Process of Photosynthesis

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Photosynthesis is the process undergone by plants consisting of a series of chemical reactions that require four factors; water, carbon dioxide, radiant energy and temperature using chlorophyll molecules to trap radiant energy from the sun resulting in the making of glucose and oxygen as bi-products. The process of photosynthesis provides plants with the food and energy they need to grow. Plants that produce their own food are called autotrophic plants. Not only do these plants make food for themselves but they also serve as primary producers. Without photosynthesis the oxygen levels in the atmosphere would not be replenished. The process of photosynthesis is divided into two main parts. The first phase is the light dependent phase which happens in the grana of chloroplast. This reaction happens when the light energy is absorbed by chlorophyll and then changes the light energy to chemical energy. The energy of these energized electrons is now used to split water molecules. Thus leading to oxygen being released from the plant as a bi-product. The light dependant phase, otherwise known as the Calvin Cycle occurs in the stroma of chloroplasts. In this process NADP.H is fixed with carbon dioxide to make glucose. Sunlight is a necessity for the process of photosynthesis to occur. My aim in this investigation is to test the necessity of light for the process of photosynthesis.
Energy from the sun is lost in our atmosphere through many factors. The energy that is able to stay is just enough for plants to use in the process of photosynthesis to make and store energy in the form of sugar molecules. The plant does not use all the light that gets to it. It only uses certain colours of the light spectrum to enable the process of photosynthe...

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...from them being in dry soil. This then being caused by water being evaporated out the soil by the sun. On the other hand plants can ‘drown’ if over watered. If you plant a plant in a wet area with constant water being provided that only need minimal water to survive, it will drown. Not always is wilting a caused by human error but is also a result of dry air, or the air being moist. Dehydrated plants become flaccid and are unable to support their own mass and there for wilt. Sunlight is a necessity when it comes to plant growth yet to much sun is bad and plants therefore need a perfect balance between light and dark hours. Overexposure will cause damage and under exposure will cause malnutrition in the plant. Fertilizer needs to be provided to plants requiring higher maintenance for proper growth. And without the fertilizer the plant will suffer from malnutrition.

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