Where does the carbon come from that goes into plant sugars?

CO2 from the air

thanks DrBob

The carbon that goes into plant sugars primarily comes from carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. Through a process called photosynthesis, plants use energy from sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose, a type of sugar. This glucose is then used by plants as an energy source for growth and various metabolic processes.

To understand how carbon is derived from carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, you can break down the process into two key stages:

1. Light-dependent reactions: In this initial phase, chlorophyll pigment in plant cells absorbs sunlight energy, which is then used to split water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen ions (H+). The release of oxygen is what allows plants to produce oxygen as a byproduct. The hydrogen ions produced during this step are utilized in the next stage.

2. Light-independent reactions (Calvin cycle): In this stage, hydrogen ions (H+) derived from water, along with carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, are used to generate glucose. This process occurs in a series of biochemical reactions known as the Calvin cycle. The energy generated from the light-dependent reactions is utilized to drive this cycle, facilitating the conversion of carbon dioxide into glucose.

In summary, carbon from carbon dioxide is incorporated into plant sugars through the process of photosynthesis, utilizing sunlight energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose.