Photosynthesis - Equation of the Overall Process

• Photosynthesis means the synthesis of food with the help of sunlight.
• The overall equation of photosynthesis is
  
• Photosynthesis occurs only in green parts of the plant, primarily in leaves and, to a lesser extent, in the plants' green stems or floral parts.
• Leaves of the plant are known as light-powered food factories.
• A green substance called chlorophyll in the leaves catches the energy from sunlight, water from the soil, and CO₂ from the air, completing the chemical form. This process is called photosynthesis.
• Chlorophyll pigments are mainly present in cell organelles called plastids (chloroplast).
• There are different kinds of chlorophyll molecules present in photosynthesis organisms. There are two kinds of plants, chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b. Both chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b are very similar in molecular structure, except that the CH₃ group in chlorophyll a is replaced by the CHO group in chlorophyll b.
• The CO₂ for photosynthesis comes from air. It seeps into the leaf through tiny holes into lower surfaces known as stomata.
• Stomata are open during the daytime and close during nighttime.
• In addition to sugar, photosynthesis produces Oxygen that sleeps out in the air.
• Photosynthesis occurs only in the visible light region of wavelength 4000-7500°A. The temperature range is from -35°C to +75°C.
• Photosynthesis is the only carbon-fixing process on earth. The rate of photosynthesis is optimum between 10°C to 35°C.
• Certain bacteria and algae can also capture light energy and use it to make food, e.g., photosynthesis bacteria contain chlorophyll in tiny bodies called chromatophores.
• Essential plant elements are Carbon - 45%, Oxygen - 3%, Hydrogen - 6%, Nitrogen - 13%.