The equation of photosynthesis is :
Carbon dioxide + water + energy from light produce glucose and oxygen.
What is Photosynthesis ?
Photosynthesis is a process used by plants to convert light energy into chemical energy. It is the process of producing glucose from CO₂ (carbon dioxide) and water with the help of sunlight. So it is the process of food production by plants. Trees and plants use photosynthesis to feed themselves, grow, and develop.
To carry out photosynthesis, plants need chlorophyll, which is a green substance that they have in their leaves. It is in charge of absorbing a certain wavelength of light to carry out this process. In turn, chlorophyll is responsible for the characteristic green color of plants.
Photosynthesis takes place in plant cell membranes. There, photons, the particles that make up sunlight, break up the water molecules acquired by plants by releasing electrons and protons, other particles that in turn cause reactions that produce ATP and NADPH (two molecules that serve to store energy). Then, with the carbon dioxide that plants absorb from the atmosphere, they form carbohydrates in which energy is stored.
So, through photosynthesis, organisms with chlorophyll take in atmospheric or dissolved in water to form more complex molecules, such as carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. But during photosynthesis, glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆) is produced. The function of water in photosynthesis is to supply electrons for these redox reactions, i.e. water acts as a source of electrons. Since the water molecule is a very weak reducing agent, its electrons must be energized by the photons of sunlight. The oxygen released in photosynthesis comes from water and it is a waste product that will eventually be used by other living organisms to breathe.