The existence of living creatures on Earth, including humans, is impossible without breathing. Consuming oxygen from the environment, a person exhales carbon dioxide. In theory, this vital gas should end. However, the air masses are constantly replenished. Such a reaction becomes possible because plants breathe oxygen O 2 during respiration. All plants are autotrophs, transform the chemical elements of the earth's crust into the components of wildlife, releasing oxygen. Therefore, without their participation, the presence of biotic matter on Earth would be in question.
Concept and factors of photosynthesis
Consuming the light of the sun, plants release oxygen during photosynthesis. At the same time, they produce various carbon-containing elements consumed by biological creatures.
Representatives of the flora contain a pigment - chlorophyll, which colors them green. This component captures the radiation of the sun. Due to this, photosynthesis officially opened in 1771 takes place in plants. The term itself arose later - in 1877.
A mandatory factor in the course of the reaction is the absorption by the chlorophyll of sunlight or artificially created light. However, natural ultraviolet waves emanating from the sun, most favorably affect living organisms. In temperate latitudes, the activation of photosynthesis in the natural environment occurs in the warm season, since the length of daylight is longer, and the plants also have green shoots and leaves withering in the fall.
For the implementation of this complex transformation, in addition to solar radiation and chlorophyll, CO 2 , H 2 O and mineral elements are required, which are mainly extracted from the soil through the roots.
Place of implementation
Photosynthesis takes place inside plant cells, in small organoids - chloroplasts. They contain the pigment chlorophyll, which gives a green color.
This difficult transformation is carried out mainly in green leaves, as well as in green fruits, shoots. The most significant chlorophyll content is found in the leaves, since a large area allows you to absorb a significant amount of light, therefore, there is more energy to carry out the reaction.
How is the process going?
The process of converting substances in plants that produce oxygen is rather complicated. First, the plant captures the rays of the sun using chlorophyll. At the same time, it draws water from the soil, where various minerals are contained, from the soil, it consumes CO2 from air and water. Chlorophyll converts H 2 O, trace elements and CO 2 into organic compounds. At this moment, the plants release oxygen into the atmosphere, and part of it goes for respiration.
Photosynthesis involves two interdependent, but completely different phases: light and dark. The first phase is carried out only in the light, without which it is impossible. For the dark, the constant presence of CO 2 is necessary.
Light phase
The absolute condition for the implementation of the processes at this stage is the presence of light that activates chlorophyll. Moreover, the latter splits the water molecule into H 2 and O 2 . Everything happens inside the chloroplasts, in the membrane-limited compartments - thylakoids. As a result, the organic compound ATP is synthesized, a kind of energy source in biological processes. There comes a time when plants release oxygen.
Dark phase
It is carried out in the stroma of chloroplasts and is called dark, since here processes can proceed without the presence of light, that is, around the clock.
First, there is a mandatory constant absorption and fixation of carbon dioxide from the environment. Then a series of transformations takes place, ending with the formation of glucose (natural sugar), amino acids, fatty acids, glycerin and other important organic compounds. The energy for the reactions is taken from ATP and NADP-N 2 created in the light phase.
Plant breath
Being representatives of living matter, plants breathe. Moreover, absorbing and releasing both O 2 and carbon dioxide. Only in plants during the process of photosynthesis is CO2 consumed and O 2 released . It is noteworthy that much more oxygen is given than is consumed for respiration. Therefore, in total, in the light, the plant predominantly releases oxygen, absorbing CO 2 . At the same time, the breathing process also takes place, but the consumption of O 2 and the removal of carbon dioxide take place on a much smaller scale.
As a rule, in the dark, plants absorb oxygen and emit carbon dioxide, that is, they breathe. As such, the respiratory system of plants is absent: they absorb oxygen throughout the surface, mainly - leaves.
Plants that produce oxygen in the dark
Most plants energetically give oxygen in the light, and without it, on the contrary, it consumes. For this reason, it is usually not recommended to put them in the bedroom. But in some plants, everything happens in reverse order.
For example, Kalanchoe, Benjamin's ficus and orchids dynamically give O 2 at any time of the day. Aloe also belongs to plants that produce oxygen at night, which disinfects, among other things, air from microbes and draws harmful substances out of it. Perhaps, everyone knows about the useful properties of this unique succulent.
The strongest purifier of the surrounding area is sansevieria, which helps to strengthen the human immune system. Geranium, capable of destroying any bacteria and even some viruses, belongs to the same species. It has antidepressant properties: its smell can relieve neurosis, insomnia, stress and nervous tension.
The importance of photosynthesis for our planet
According to scientists, the planet Earth was formed from a solar nebula, and oxygen was initially absent in its atmosphere. The emergence of such a vital gas was possible precisely due to photosynthesis. As a result, oxygen breathing appeared, which is inherent in almost all living things. Oxygen contributed to the natural protection of the planet from the ultraviolet radiation of the sun - the ozone layer. This circumstance favored evolution: the exit of living organisms from the ocean to land.
It is also very important that plants that produce oxygen also consume carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Excess CO 2 causes a greenhouse effect that adversely affects the climate and living things.
In the absence of photosynthesis, there would be an excess of CO 2 in the atmosphere of the planet. As a result, most living organisms could not breathe and died. Photosynthesis determines the stability of the gas composition of the Earth’s atmospheric shell. Trees are the lungs of our planet. Therefore, it is very important to protect them from deforestation and fires, and to plant more vegetation in settlements.
The enormous value of photosynthesis lies in the fact that various organic compounds arise from simple mineral elements. It turns out that all life on Earth owes its appearance to this amazing process.
In addition, plants are consumed by a huge number of animals. Organic compounds created and stored by plants are also food and a source of energy. Over billions of years, large deposits of organic substances (oil, coal and others) have accumulated in the bowels of the earth.
People use photosynthesis products not only in food and medicine, but also in economic activities as building materials and various raw materials.