Photosynthesis

How a Plant Makes its

Own Food
 What is Photosynthesis?
• The process by which green plants use light,
water, and carbon dioxide (a colorless,
odorless gas) to make glucose (food) and
make the sun’s energy available to all living
things.
 Why is Photosynthesis Important?
• Plants use sunlight to turn water
and carbon dioxide into glucose.
Glucose is a kind of sugar.
• It begins all food chains/webs.
Therefore all life is supported by
this process.
• It makes oxygen gas.
• Autotrophs make glucose and
heterotrophs are consumers of it.
Photosynthesis and Food Webs
• All food webs start with photosynthesis
 How Do the Materials for Photosynthesis
Enter the Plant?
• Carbon Dioxide enters the plant through a pore called a
stomata.

What is a stomata? A pore, found in the epidermis of

leaves, that assists gas exchange.

What is an epidermis? The outermost layer covering the

leaf of the plant.

• Water enters the plant through the roots and is carried

up the stem. Water leaves the plant through the
stomata.
Where Does Photosynthesis Take Place?
• In the leaves, specifically in the Chloroplasts
chloroplasts.

What are chloroplasts?

Chloroplasts are only found in plant cells.
The chloroplast is the structure that
allows the plant to go through
photosynthesis, or make its own food and
energy.
What Exactly is Photosynthesis?

• A chemical reaction!
• Plants change water, CO2, and
sunlight into new substances.

The chemical reaction looks like this:

carbon dioxide + water + sunlight  glucose + oxygen
6 CO2 + 6 H2O + Energy  C6H12O6 + 6 O2
 How Do Living Things Rely on Photosynthesis?
• Photosynthesis is the only
way our planet can
regenerate oxygen gas for
respiration of living things.
• Without oxygen, all animal
and human life would die.
• Oxygen is used by living
things to break down food so
that energy can be released.