The three reactants needed for photosynthesis are:
- Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) - This gas is absorbed from the atmosphere through tiny openings in plant leaves called stomata.
- Water (H₂O) - Water is taken up by the plant roots from the soil.
- Light Energy - Typically from sunlight, this energy is captured by chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants.
These reactants are used in the photosynthesis process to produce glucose and oxygen. The overall chemical equation for photosynthesis can be summarized as:
\[ 6 , \text{CO}_2 + 6 , \text{H}_2\text{O} + \text{light energy} \rightarrow \text{C}6\text{H}{12}\text{O}_6 + 6 , \text{O}_2 \]
where glucose (\(C_6H_{12}O_6\)) is the sugar produced, and \(O_2\) is released as a byproduct.
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