Question

Where do the carbons in the carbohydrate (sugar) that are made during photosynthesle come from? (7 point)
Oxygen (0)
Water (HO)
Carbon dioxide (CO)
Boll nutrients

Answers

GPT-4o mini
The carbons in the carbohydrates (sugars) produced during photosynthesis primarily come from carbon dioxide (CO₂) absorbed from the atmosphere.

Here’s a breakdown of the process:

1. **Carbon Dioxide (CO₂)**: During photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide from the air through small openings in their leaves called stomata.

2. **Photosynthesis Process**: In the chloroplasts of plant cells, carbon dioxide is combined with water (H₂O) in the presence of sunlight to synthesize glucose (a type of carbohydrate) and oxygen (as a byproduct).

3. **Glucose Formation**: The carbon atoms from carbon dioxide molecules are incorporated into the glucose molecule. For every molecule of glucose formed (C₆H₁₂O₆), six carbon atoms are required, all derived from six molecules of carbon dioxide.

4. **Water (H₂O)**: While water is also used in the photosynthesis process, it primarily contributes hydrogen atoms and oxygen to the glucose and oxygen produced, but it does not provide carbon atoms.

5. **Overall Equation**: The simplified overall equation for photosynthesis illustrates that the carbon from CO₂ is used to form organic molecules:

\[ 6CO₂ + 6H₂O + light \, energy \rightarrow C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ \]

In summary, the carbon in the carbohydrates produced during photosynthesis comes specifically from carbon dioxide absorbed from the atmosphere.