NUTRITION IN PLANTS

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The process by which green plants make their own food from carbon dioxide and water by using sunlight energy in presence of chlorophyll, is called photosynthesis.

6CO2 + 6H2O + LIGHT ENERGY FROM SUN CHLOROPHYLL -----> C6H12O6 + 6O2

The extra food is changed into starch which is stored in leaves.

CONCLUSION: Green plants convert sunlight energy into chemical energy by making carbohydrates

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Three steps of photosynthesis:

Absorption of sunlight energy by chlorophyll.

Conversion of light energy into chemical energy and splitting of water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen

Reduction of carbon dioxide into carbohydrates.

These steps may not occur one after the other immediately . For example desert plants take carbon dioxide at night and prepare an intermediate product which is acted upon by sunlight energy absorbed by chorophyll when the sun shines the next day.