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Photosynthesis is Incredible if You Think About it
It’s an alchemy that everything depends on
I’ve always loved plants but was more of a grim reaper of them until about two years ago when I discovered succulents — which are like the training wheels of caring for plants since they require little maintenance.
Since then, I’ve learned more about plants and now have quite a collection. The more I learn, the more fascinated I become. I mean, take photosynthesis, the fundamental function of plants, for example. We learn about it in school, but when was the last time you really thought about what it means?
Photosynthesis Basics
As you probably know, photosynthesis is the method plants use to create oxygen. But the details of how plants and other autotrophs accomplish this and the ripple effects afterward are where the magic is.
By the way, if you don’t know what autotrophs are, they’re organisms that create their food from inorganic substances using heat or light as an energy source. Plants are one type of autotroph, as are algae, fungi, and some bacteria. Most, but not all, autotrophs perform photosynthesis.
The process of photosynthesis requires three things — water (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and sunlight. I used to think sunlight and water…
