Question

What is the role of carbon dioxide and water in the process of photosynthesis

Answer 1

In order for plants to carry out the process of photosynthesis, they need water, carbon dioxide and light. The water and carbon dioxide are the reactants - materials present before the chemical change.

During the light reaction, chlorophyll molecules absorb light energy which is used to split water. This produces oxygen gas and hydrogen ions. The hydrogen ions are used by the chloroplast to produce ATP molecules.

During the dark reaction (Calvin cycle) the chloroplast uses carbon from carbon dioxide to produce three carbon molecules which can be assembled into glucose.

The overall equation for photosynthesis is:
6CO2+6H2O→6O2+C6H12O6