The Power of Green: Understanding Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is a process that happens inside green plants to produce food for them to survive. It is all about harnessing the power of the sun and storing it as energy that can be used by the plant.

Photosynthesis is like a magic trick that happens in plants. Just like we need food to grow and stay healthy, plants also need food, but they make it themselves using sunlight, water, and air.

Here is how it works:

1. Plants have tiny parts called chloroplasts that act like tiny food factories. They have a green pigment called chlorophyll that captures sunlight.

2. First, plants take in water from the ground through their roots and carbon dioxide from the air through tiny holes in their leaves called stomata.

3. Then, using sunlight as energy, the chlorophyll in the plant's cells helps combine the water and carbon dioxide to create glucose, which is a type of sugar – this is the plant's food.

4. As a result, the plant releases oxygen into the air, which is essential for us and other living things because we need oxygen to breathe.

So, in simple terms, photosynthesis is a plant's way of making its own food using sunlight, water, and air. This process not only feeds the plant, but also provides us, and all living creatures, with the oxygen we breathe.

Circle of Life - Carbon Dioxide and Oxygen

The circle of life involving carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen (O2) is an essential process for living things on Earth. Plants and animals are part of this cycle. Here is how it works:

• Plants: During photosynthesis, plants use sunlight to convert CO2 and water into glucose (food) and release oxygen as a byproduct. This means they take in CO2 from the air through their stomata (tiny pores on their leaves) and give off oxygen as a result of this process.

• Animals: Animals, including humans, breathe in oxygen to survive. When they breathe in oxygen, they use it to help break down the glucose from the food they eat to release energy. As a result, they produce CO2 when they exhale.

So, in the circle of life, plants take in CO2 and release oxygen, while animals take in oxygen and release CO2.

This continuous exchange of gases between plants and animals creates a balanced cycle where both gases are constantly being used and replenished. This balance helps to maintain the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, supporting life on

Earth.