Hey mom, I was wondering what it might be like to be a plant one day... How do the plants even get food? 

That is an interesting thought! Well, plants make their own food through a process called photosynthesis. This process is also very benefical to us humans, including the majority of all living things!

What is photosythesis?

Photosynthesis is a chemical reaction that uses light energy from the sun, carbon dioxide from organisms, and water from the clouds so plants can give away oxygen that we need to breathe while making their own food, glucose/sugar.

This is the photosynthesis equation. On the left side of the light are called the reactants or inputs and on the right side of the light are called the products or outputs. Reactants/inputs: the plant has to have these in order to complete photosynthesis. Products/outputs: those are the items that are produced by the plant after photosynthesis.

reactants/inputs

products/outputs

Photosynthesis occurs in chloroplasts. Chloroplasts contain a green pigment called chlorophyll which absorbs the sun’s energy/light.

Where does photosynthesis occur? 

This is the basic structure of the chloroplast.

- The outer membrane is permeable to small organic molecules.

- The inner membrane is less permeable and filled with transport proteins.

- The stroma is a colorless fluid that surrounds the thylakoids containing starch, chloroplast DNA, ribosomes, as well as all the enzymes required for light-independent reaction.

- The thylakoids are responsible for the light reaction whereby light is captured and its energy converted to chemical energy in the form of ATP and NADPH concomitant with the development of oxygen.

How do the inputs of photosynthesis make their way into the plant? How are the products created?

Inputs

Products