G8 Photosynthesis (On Grade) – 03

Getting energy from the Sun is only part of the process. Sunlight is not the only thing the leaves take in; they also collect gas from the air. Humans take in air, but humans need the oxygen in the air and expel carbon dioxide as a waste product. Plants are very different from humans when it comes to this gas exchange. The gas a plant needs from the air is carbon dioxide (CO2) and they expel oxygen as a waste product. In the leaves, all the ingredients are mixed together in a bit of plant magic.  During photosynthesis, carbon dioxide and water combine with solar energy to create glucose, a carbohydrate (C6H12O6), and oxygen. The outcome of the process is a type of sugar, called glucose, that a plant needs to survive.

Glucose, the main product of the photosynthesis process acts as the “food” source for plants. The glucose is then converted into usable chemical energy, ATP, during cellular respiration.

Plants also have other important parts that play a role in the photosynthesis process. Like a human backbone, the plant’s stem helps it stand up straight, but it also has another important role. The stem connects the roots with the leaves and carries, like an elevator, the water and nutrients that the roots have taken in, up to the leaves.

Without the photosynthesis process, life on earth could not exist. All the oxygen in the air comes from a plant’s photosynthesis process taking in CO2 gas and then releasing oxygen back into the air. As a producer, it also supports the needs of many animals providing them with a food source.

The garden is now watered, and you are ready to eat your dinner. Like a plant you need energy to grow and stay healthy. Tomorrow is another soccer practice, so you fill your plate full of good healthy food.