The Effect of Light on Photosynthesis

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The Effect of Light on Photosynthesis

Plants need and use the same light of foods as animals but while

animals have to eat other things to get their food, plants make it

themselves. The way they do this is called photosynthesis. The other

ways that plants are different from animals, such as having leaves and

root or being green, they are all linked with photosynthesis. In

photosynthesis, plants take carbon dioxide from the air and water from

the soil, and use the energy from the sunlight to convert them into

food. The first food they make is glucose but that can later be

changed into other food types. The sunlight is absorbed by the green

pigment chlorophyll.

Carbon hydrates contain the elements carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen as

in glucose. The carbon and oxygen could be supplied by carbon dioxide

from the air. In addition, the hydrogen could come from the water in

the soil. The nitrogen and sulphur needed for making protein could

come from nitrates and sulphates in the soil.

This builds up of complex food molecules from simpler substances this

is called synthesis. It needs enzymes and energy to make it happen.

Enzymes are presented in the plants cells and the energy for the first

stages in the synthesis comes from sunlight, this is called

photosynthesis. And that there is a green substance and chlorophyll.

Chlorophyll is in the chloroplasts of the plant cells. Chlorophyll

absorbs sunlight and makes the energy from sunlight.

LIGHT

[IMAGE]Carbon Dioxide + Water Glucose + Oxygen

CHLOROPHYLL

Where does photosynthesis occur?

Photosynthesis takes place mainly in the leaves, although it can occur

in any cells that contain green chlorophyll. Leaves are adapted to

make them very efficient at photosynthesis.

Leaves are broad, so as much light as possible can be absorbed. A

leave is thin, so it is easy carbon dioxide to diffuse in to each of

the cells in the centre of the leaf. It also contains green

chlorophyll, in the chloroplasts, which absorbs the light energy.

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