PHOTOSYNTHESIS [INTRO]

=Photosynthesis= Photosynthesis is the process by which plants capture the energy of light and turn it into the chemical potential energy of organic food molecules (glucose). ''' Carbon Dioxide + Water → Glucose + Oxygen''' ''' 6CO~2~ + 6H~2~O → C~6~H~12~O~6 ~ + 6O~2~''' [image:http://i.imgur.com/1ZGkIQP.gif] Light is captured by chlorophyll – a green coloured pigment found within tiny organelles called chloroplasts. Chloroplasts are found in the green parts of plants, especially leaves. This energy is used to convert carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and glucose (a type of sugar). Energy is stored within the bonds of the glucose molecules. Many plants will link the glucose molecules together to store them as starch. This process is essentially the reverse of respiration (compare the two formulae).