By: Jordan Lighty 7A

 Photosynthesis comes from the Greek words photo which means “light” and synthesis which means “putting together.” Photosynthesis comes from the Greek words photo which means “light” and synthesis which means “putting together.”  In the English language Photosynthesis means : the process in which some organisms use water along with sunlight and carbon dioxide to make their own food. In the English language Photosynthesis means : the process in which some organisms use water along with sunlight and carbon dioxide to make their own food.  Organisms that make their own food are autotrophs. An autotroph is any organism that can in fact make their own food. Organisms that make their own food are autotrophs. An autotroph is any organism that can in fact make their own food.  Animals who can’t make their own food are heterotrophs and hetertrophs survive by eating plants and other organisms. Animals who can’t make their own food are heterotrophs and hetertrophs survive by eating plants and other organisms.

 There are 9 main sources of energy. : (biomass, petroleum, hydropower, coal, wind, geothermal, natural gas, and solar/other.  Photosynthesis uses solar energy. Solar energy is power that comes from the sun.  Nearly all living things obtain energy either directly or indirectly from the energy of sunlight captured during photosynthesis.  Example: grass obtains direct energy from the sun. a gazelle eats the grass it gets energy that has been stored in the grass. Then the gazelle is attacked by a leopard and the leopard gets energy from the gazelle because the gazelle ate the grass. So that proves that all living things obtain solar energy.

 The first stage of photosynthesis is capturing the sun’s energy. Or in other words The chloroplast in the plant cells capture energy from sunlight.  So how the plant captures energy is by using the leaves. And how the leaves do this is by using something that they have inside of them and would be Chloroplast.  Chloroplast are green organelles inside the plant cells. And they are this green color because of pigments. But, really the main photosynthetic pigment in chloroplast is chlorophyll.  So, with the help of chlorophyll the organelles capture light energy and uses it to help photosynthesis move to its final stage.

 Now that we have gone over stage one we are on the final stage of photosynthesis. Which is using energy to make food.  In this stage basically what happens is the captured energy from the sun is used to produce sugars and oxygen from water and carbon dioxide.  First carbon dioxide enters through small openings which are called stomata.  Once the carbon dioxide, is in the water enters through the roots and moves upward to the leaf. Carbon dioxide entering stomata water going up roots

 When both the carbon dioxide and water are in they merge into the Chloroplast. Since, they merge they go through a complex chemical reaction.  Once that is done, the plant ends up with six carbon sugars and the other product which is oxygen exits the leaf through the stomata on the underside of the leaf.  That’s the final stage so if you look below at the picture it shows what happened through the two stages

 The events of photosynthesis are complex and confusing so it is hard to understand it sometimes.  Also, it can be confusing because of Respiration. Respiration is the process by which cells obtain energy from glucose.  Respiration is the opposite of photosynthesis. So when you look at the diagrams below you can see that these two equations really are opposites. PhotosynthesisRespiration Occurs in the presence of light (and chlorophyll in plant cells) Occurs at all times in cells Requires energy (light) to make sugar (glucose) Releases energy from sugar Complex substances (sugar) are formed from simpler ones. Complex substances (sugar) are broken down into simpler ones. Carbon dioxide and water are the raw materials. Carbon dioxide and water are the waste products. Oxygen is given out.Oxygen is taken in.

 what I learned from this project is that photosynthesis really is a complex operation. That only has two steps but many parts. And what I mean is that once the leaves capture the light. The carbon dioxide has to go through a certain way. Then the water has to go up the roots. The chemical reaction. Honestly, I never knew anything about those steps besides that they are part of it but, I really never knew their functions. And so, I hope you learn something from my presentation because I certainly did.

Text Books~  Science Explorer Prentice Hall Life Science~ pages 86 to 90 Websites~  animalseatinganimals.tumblr.com animalseatinganimals.tumblr.com    mage004.jpg mage004.jpg       Vtaide.com Vtaide.com 