• Question: what is photosynthesis

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      Asked by i dont know to John, Laura, Luke on 23 Jun 2016.
      • Photo: Laura Finney

        Laura Finney answered on 23 Jun 2016:

        Photosynthesis is something plants do to make food, by absorbing light in their leaves. hence photo – light, synthesis – to make (making food)! They take in CO2 and glucose during this process and make energy and oxygen! 🙂 It’s good as they take in CO2 so hence why we shouldn’t be shopping down trees all the time!

        http://www.rsc.org/Education/Teachers/Resources/cfb/Photosynthesis.htm

        This is quite a good page which explains in more detail!

      • Photo: Luke Williams

        Luke Williams answered on 23 Jun 2016:

        Don’t forget the bacteria and algae! Everyone forgets the small stuff 🙁

        Cyanobacteria (blue-green bacteria) also get their energy from the sun, as do algae. In the same manner as plants, they absorb the light to make their own energy.

        In fact, plants aren’t even as exciting as these two groups. It is thought that cyanobacteria were the ones responsible for our oxygen atmosphere – there were no plants then. They were the earliest photosynthesisers and produced the oxygen for the planet to use, causing a mass extinction of bacteria that were unable to cope with the oxygen! This event is called variously the Great Oxygenation Event, Oxygen Revolution or even the Oxygen Holocaust. Pretty strong names there.

        Importantly too, phytoplankton, which includes both cyanobacteria and algae, produce the majority of oxygen for the planet, way more than all the trees and plants combined. So look after the little guys!

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