Final answer:
A tree can produce enough oxygen to sustain a person through photosynthesis, which creates oxygen needed for cellular respiration. While an average tree provides about half the yearly oxygen requirement for one person, trees are also essential for balancing atmospheric gases and supporting ecosystems.
Step-by-step explanation:
Yes, a tree can produce enough oxygen to keep a person alive. Through the process of photosynthesis, trees convert carbon dioxide (CO2) and water into sugars and oxygen using the energy from sunlight. This released oxygen is what humans and other aerobic organisms need to perform cellular respiration and produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy currency of the cell. An average tree can produce about 260 pounds of oxygen annually, which is roughly half the annual oxygen requirement of a person. However, the actual oxygen a single person needs can vary depending on factors such as activity level and environmental conditions.
Moreover, trees play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. By removing CO2, which is a greenhouse gas, they help mitigate the greenhouse effect and global warming. Photosynthesis not only produces oxygen for us to breathe but also sustains the free energy flow in ecosystems, as plants form the base of most food chains. Thus, trees are vital for both individual survival and the ecological balance of the Earth.