What is the significance of photosynthesis?

Significance of Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants and other things make food. It is a chemical process that uses sunlight to turn carbon dioxide into sugars the cell can use as energy. As well as plants, many kinds of algae, protists and bacteria use it to get food.

Photosynthesis is very significant for life on Earth. Most plants either directly or indirectly depend on it. The exception is certain organisms that directly get their energy from chemical reactions; these organisms are called chemoautotrophs.

Photosynthesis can happen in different ways, but there are some parts that are common.

6 CO_2(g) + 6 H₂O + photons → C₆H₁₂O_6(aq) + 6 O_2(g)

carbon dioxide + water + light energy → glucose + oxygen

Photosynthesis is important because all living things need oxygen to survive. All producers make oxygen and sugar for the secondary consumers and then the carnivores eat animals that eat the plants.

Plants make their own food and pass their energy down to humans when we consume the nutrients from the plants. Photosynthesis creates clean air for humans to breathe. It also allows plants to grow, which feeds humans. It also produces oxygen which is the gas we need to live.

Factors affecting photosynthesis

There are three main factors affecting photosynthesis:

• Light intensity
• Carbon dioxide concentration
• Temperature

Significance of Photosynthesis in points

1. Photosynthesis helps in the conversion of solar energy into organic matter.
2. Photosynthesis consumes atmospheric carbon dioxide and yields carbohydrates and molecular oxygen.
3. Photosynthesis evolves molecular oxygen for use by other living organisms and maintains the level of atmospheric oxygen which is continuously consumed by plants and animals during respiration.
4. Photosynthesis produces carbohydrates and used by plants and animals to synthesize organic acids, proteins, fats, nucleic acids, pigments, hormones, vitamins, alkaloids and other metabolites