Plants are a very important part of our daily lives, providing the food we eat, the clothes we wear, and even the air we breathe.

But where do plants get the materials to grow? How do they add oxygen to the air?

It's actually a pretty simple process.

The first part of the process starts with the plant collecting carbon dioxide, or CO2, from the air.

Carbon dioxide is a clear, odorless gas that plants use to make food and oxygen (The part of the air we breathe in).

The plant also absorbs H2O, known more commonly as water, from the ground through its roots. The plant collects energy from the sun as well, using chloroplasts which, while collecting sunlight energy, also give most plants their nice green color.

The materials, called reactants, are sent to the production areas of the chloroplasts, where they will be converted into the plant's food, and the oxygen in the air.

The entire process is called photosynthesis.

In the cells, the molecules are separated into separate atoms, which will be rearranged later.

The separation and building of molecules uses the energy from the sun.

The atoms are formed into glucose - the food or building material of the plant - and the oxygen molecules.

These are called the products.

The glucose is sent around the plant and used to add more matter to the plant. This essentially means that plants are mostly made of air!

The oxygen is released into the air, to be used in a different process.

The next process happens in both plants and animals, and is called cellular respiration.

This bunny is a herbivore - it only eats plants.

Animals that mostly eat meat are called carnivores.

Plants are called producers, since they make their own food.

Cellular respiration begins with the animal collecting materials. The process requires glucose and oxygen.

These materials are collected by eating food and breathing.

Like in photosynthesis, the molecules are reformed in the cells to make other materials.

ATP

The glucose and oxygen become water and carbon dioxide.

You may recognize these as the reactants of photosynthesis.

This process also creates ATP, a form of chemical energy (energy from chemical reactions) that animals use.

ATP