What is the phenomenon of photosynthesis in green plants? What are the products of photosynthesis?

In nature, plants are called producers in the food chain because they can use inorganic matter to produce organic matter and store energy through photosynthesis. By eating, consumers in the food chain can absorb the energy stored by plants and bacteria. For almost all organisms in the biological world, this process is the key to their survival. What is the phenomenon of photosynthesis in green plants? Let's take a look at the detailed common sense about this aspect!

Contents of this article

1. What is the phenomenon of photosynthesis in green plants?

2. What are the products of photosynthesis?

3. Why does cactus photosynthesize at night?

What is photosynthesis in green plants?

It is a biochemical process in which plants and algae use chlorophyll and some bacteria use their cells themselves, under the irradiation of visible light, to convert carbon dioxide and water into organic matter and release oxygen. Plants are called producers in the food chain because they can use inorganic matter to produce organic matter and store energy through photosynthesis. Through eating, consumers in the food chain can absorb the energy stored in plants and bacteria. For almost all organisms in the biological world, this process is the key to their survival, and photosynthesis is essential to the carbon-oxygen cycle on Earth.

What are the products of photosynthesis

Since the cells of plants such as cacti adopt the "Crassulaceae acid metabolic pathway", they are different from other C3 and C4 plants. The stomata of this type of plants are closed during the day, and gas exchange does not occur or occurs very little. However, it is different at night. They will carry out gas exchange of photosynthesis and respiration, and the oxygen released is still much more than carbon dioxide, which is different from other plants. In fact, this carbon dioxide is stored in the organic acids of the mesophyll cells. When there is light, these organic acids decompose in the vascular bundle sheath cells to release carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. Therefore, cacti will carry out photosynthesis at night.

Why do cacti photosynthesize at night?

The main product of photosynthesis is carbohydrates, which are the products of the three-carbon pathway and the four-carbon pathway. These include monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides. In addition to carbohydrates, the products of photosynthesis also include lipids, organic acids, amino acids and proteins.

Part of the photosynthetic products are used to build the plant body and for respiration, while most of them are transported to the plant body's storage organs for storage. Under different conditions, the quality and quantity of various photosynthetic products are different. For example, more nitrogen fertilizers will form more proteins, and less nitrogen fertilizers will form more sugars and less proteins. When the plant is young, more protein is formed in the leaves, and as the age increases, more sugars are formed. Different light waves, such as blue-violet light, synthesize more protein. This is why wheat in mountainous areas has a high protein content and good texture. Under red light, more carbohydrates are synthesized. Therefore, the products of photosynthesis are not fixed. Under different conditions, changes in quality and quantity can occur.