Importance of Photosynthesis

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The Role of Photosynthesis in the Balance of Nature and how it is related to the Important Global Issue of Climate Change

        Photosynthesis is a process in by which plants produce organic food nutrients (glucose), by using many raw materials. These raw materials are: light, carbon dioxide, water and chlorophyll, which is the pigment in the plant’s leaf that helps photosynthesis take place. There are also other pigments such as carotenoids, xanthophylls and phaeophytins which can also be present in a leaf instead of chlorophyll. The equation below shows how photosynthesis takes place.

        

Carbon dioxide + water                                glucose + oxygen

In number form it is written like this:

6CO2 + 6H2O         C6H12O6 + 6O2

Even though the end result is glucose, this is immediately converted to starch. This is due to the fact that glucose is osmotically active, which means it is soluble in water. In order for the food to be stored well, glucose is converted into starch as it is insoluble, hence it is osmotically inactive.  

        There are many different uses of photosynthesis. Even though it helps the plants the most as it creates food for them, without photosynthesis, there would be a lot of things we wouldn’t have. Photosynthesis greatly affects the nature in our beautiful ecosystem and also affects many other aspects of the world.

        Even though photosynthesis is the process by which plants make food, other creatures also gain food due to photosynthesis. In the food chain, the herbivores only eat plants. These plants are in nature due to photosynthesis, as they live on their food. The herbivores are then eaten by the carnivores, and as we humans are omnivores, we eat both plants and meat. Therefore if photosynthesis didn’t take place, humans and animals would not have food to eat. [1]     

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        There are many different types of energy in the world. These are classed into two groups: renewable and non-renewable energy. Renewable energy can be used as a fuel and these types of energy can be used over and over again. They will never run out whereas non-renewable energy has a lifespan. Non-renewable energy can also be used as a fuel. These types of energy are finite. They will not last forever. The various non-renewable sources of energy are coal, oil and natural gas. These fuels are called fossil fuels. As said ...

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