When we are talking about photosynthesis in plants, there comes a certain chemical equation that is used to describe the process of photosynthesis.

1. The Reactants and Process of Photosynthesis
All living beings need food in order to survive. Some organisms eat others
to consume their food, and these are known as heterotrophs like humans
and some animals. On the other hand, some living organisms like plants
have to make their own food, and hence these organisms are referred to
as autotrophs.
Let’s talk in detail about what photosynthesis is and how the process
works.
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is the process by which organisms make up their own food
by turning light from the sun into chemical energy, which is used as food.
Many organisms make their foods through this process, including plants,
algae and some particular types of ba cteria.

2. Plants take in water and carbon dioxide through the soil and air. After
receiving these essential components, plants turn them into glucose and
oxygen, which are utilized by the plants as food.
When we are talking about photosynthesis in plants, th ere comes a
certain chemical equation that is used to describe the process of
photosynthesis.
An equation tends to describe how the chemical reaction went by when
certain reactants were added to it and what products were produced as a
result.
If we talk about a general chemical reaction, then this is the basic
equation that explains the basic reaction.
Chemical reactants —-> Final products
Whenever we talk about a certain chemical reaction, there will be certain
factors that will be used as the reactants in the process, just like we use
ingredients while cooking something and similarly when the ingredients
are mixed up and cooked well. This prepares up the product just like the
final product in a chemical reaction.
In the process of photosynthesis, we talked about sunlight, carbon
dioxide and water as the reactants or the ingredients that are used by
plants in order to create the final product that is glucose and oxygen.
Let’s take a look at how these reactants come together to form up the
food for living organisms:
Sunlight + Carbon dioxide + Water ———–> glucose + oxygen

3. 6 (CO2) 6(H20) C6H12O6 6O2
The above equation states how plants produce glucose and oxygen by
bringing together sunlight, carbon dioxide and water as chemical
reactants. It also tells about the number of reactants and products
involved in the process.
When 6 molecules of carbon dioxide and six molecules of water come in
contact with sunlight, then the resulting products are a molecule of
glucose with 6 molecules of oxygen.
The origin of reactants
Now that we know which reactants are involved in the process of
photosynthesis, now let’s talk about how and from where these reactants
come from for the plants to utilize.

4. Carbon dioxide and water are two main reactants involved in the process
of photosynthesis. Plants utilize carbon dioxide after receiving it from the
air. There are stomata present on the surface of plant leaves. Some plants
have stomata on both sides of leaves, while some only have a single side
stoma. This part of the plant leaf helps it to utilize car bon dioxide from
the air.
On the other hand, when a plant needs water, it gets it from the soil it is
present in. the soil below the plant has water flowing.
Plants contain vascular bundles which have xylem and phloem in them.
The xylem and phloem are responsible for taking up water and food for
the plants, respectively.
In this way, the xylem is responsible for taking up the water from the soil
to the plant body in order for the plant to use the water for the process
of photosynthesis.
On the other hand, light is required as well for the two elements to be
properly used for the photosynthesis process. Plants have specialized
cells that contain different pigments. These pigments are responsible for
absorbing different colors of lights with different wavelengths. The most
common pigment is chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is known t o send back the
green light coming in, but it absorbs other lights like red and blue from
the sun.
During these reactions, high-energy molecules are produced. These
molecules include NADPH and ADP. Water molecules are broken down,
which further leads to the formation of these high -energy molecules.

5. Usage of final products
Since the final products produced during photosynthesis are oxygen and
glucose, both of them serve different purposes for the plants. Oxygen
comes from the breakdown of water molecules. The hydrogen molecules
are utilized in the process for high -energy molecules, but the oxygen is a
waste product. It is released in the form of a waste product as oxygen
gas.
The oxygen that is released as a waste product by the plants is actually
utilized by other organisms like humans and animals, who require oxygen
from the air for the process of respiration.
Factors limiting photosynthesis
The process of photosynthesis is a controlled process that is based on
several factors that influence it. Some of these factors stimulate the rate
of the process while others simply inhi bit it. Here we have talked about

6. some of the main factors that influence or limit the process of
photosynthesis.
The intensity of light
Light is one of the most important factors in the process of
photosynthesis. Its importance can be determined by the fact that with no
light present, there will be no photosynthesis occurring. Hence it is highly
important that the right amount of light is present with other factors so
the process of photosynthesis can happen smoothly. There are two ways
in which the intensity of light can have an impact on the rate of
photosynthesis, as discussed below:
Low intensity of light:
When the intensity of light is low, it simply drops down the rate of
photosynthesis. Even if the carbon dioxide and water are present in more

7. than enough amounts, if there is no light or less light present, the process
of photosynthesis will not process successfully.
High intensity of light
On the other hand, if the intensity of light is higher than required, it leads
to intensified temperature and transpiration in the plant. When this
happens, the stomata of the plant is closed up, and it takes in lesser
carbon dioxide. Less carbon dio xide leads to inhibition in the rate of
photosynthesis.
Wavelengths of light
Plants absorb the varying wavelengths of light differently. The chlorophyll
in the plant is responsible for absorbing the light of two different
wavelengths that are red and blue. When the plant is exposed to the light
with these wavelengths, the rate of photosynthesis will be increased, and
it would be reduced if there were other wavelengths present instead.
Hence it is important the right light is present for the plant to exhibit
photosynthesis properly.
Presence of carbon dioxide
The amount of carbon dioxide available to the plant majorly influences
the rate of photosynthesis. Usually, plants take in the carbon dioxide
from the atmosphere, and most of the time, it is not enough f or the plant
to carry out photosynthesis properly. In this way, it has been observed
that when there is a lesser amount of carbon dioxide present for the
plant, the rate of photosynthesis is reduced, but there is also an optimum
level beyond which the further addition of carbon dioxide will be useless.
When the carbon dioxide levels reach maximum for the plant, it starts to
absorb the extra carbon dioxide, which results in a decreased rate of
photosynthesis.

8. Temperature
There are certain reactions of photos ynthesis that are influenced by the
temperature rates. It has been seen that when the temperature levels
rise, the rate of photosynthesis is increased but to a certain extent. Since
the enzymes catalyzing the reaction are mainly influenced by the varying
temperature rates, the influence only occurs at a specific temperature.
That specific point is the optimum temperature, and beyond that, the
enzymes do not work. So in order to increase the enzyme activity through
temperature, the rate of temperature should not exceed more than the
optimum level.
Water intake
The plant’s intake of water during the process of photosynthesis does not
have a direct impact on the rate of the process, but it affects it through a
series of steps. When there is lesser availability of water for the plant, the
plant ends up closing its stomata so that a limited amount of water goes
out, avoiding excessive water loss. When this happens, the plants take in
less carbon dioxide. Eventually, the rate of photosynthesis is reduced.
This is how water intake has an impact on the rate of photosynt hesis.
Oxygen
Oxygen is an important factor in the process of photorespiration
happening in many plants, mainly the C3 plants. The end product of
photorespiration which occurs with the help of oxygen, is carbon dioxide.
This released carbon dioxide is esse ntial for the process of
photosynthesis. Oxygen is important for the generation of energy that is
required during the photosynthesis process. In this way, the presence of
oxygen has an impact on the rate of photosynthesis in a plant.
Pigments for photosynthesis

9. During the process of photosynthesis, the sunlight coming in from the sun
is converted into chemical energy, which is utilized by the plant. The
sunlight, however, contains light with different wavelengths, and hence
the plant absorbs these wavelengt hs of light in different ways. Some
wavelengths are absorbed more than others. Plants have different
pigments that absorb different wavelengths of light. A plant pigment is
basically a molecule that is known to have a particular color, and based
on that color of the pigment; it absorbs lights of different wavelengths.
Here we will discuss the most important pigments that are essential for
the process of photosynthesis.
Chlorophyll
Plants have some small structures that are known as the chloroplast. This
is the location of the process of photosynthesis in a plant and also where
the chlorophyll resides. Since the chlorophyll does not abs orb any green
light and send it back, this is why plants usually have a green color.
Chlorophyll has the capability to absorb light from the two given

10. wavelengths in a light spectrum that is the red and green region. The two
main types of chlorophyll, i.e., chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b, are usually
involved in the process of absorbing light for photosynthesis, but mainly
it is chlorophyll-a that is majorly responsible for converting the light from
the sun into the chemical energy that is further used in the process of
photosynthesis.
Carotenoids
Other than chlorophyll, another pigment is involved in the process of
photosynthesis, which is the carotenoids. These pigments usually capture
and absorb the violet and blue light from the sun and offer usage in
photosynthesis from this energy, but their main role is not concerned
with his. In fact, they are actually responsible for the control and
management of energy coming to the plant. When light energy is
converted to chemical energy, the energy needs to be in a moderate
amount that is not too less or too much. The carotenoids make sure that
the excess energy coming in is taken care of because it can damage the
plant. In this way, carotenoids are essential for the normal functioning of
photosynthesis.
Conclusion
Photosynthesis is an important process that occurs in autotrophs like plants. Plants are known to be
organisms that make up their own food. They make their food through the process of
photosynthesis. This process mainly involves three main components that are water, carbon dioxide
and sunlight. When these factors are present in moderate amounts, the plant turns the sunlight into
chemical energy, which is used to make food for the plant. When these mentioned factors are
present in an unwanted amount, the process of photosynthesis is affected, and hence the plant is
unable to make its food in order to function.
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