Chapter 10Science & Nature

How does photosynthesis work?

Plants use sunlight to combine water and CO₂ into sugar (glucose), releasing oxygen as a byproduct. Chlorophyll captures the light energy. Essentially every calorie humans eat traces back to this reaction.

Follow-up questions

Why are leaves green?

Chlorophyll absorbs red and blue light for the reaction and reflects green — so we see what it doesn't use.

Do plants sleep?

They have circadian rhythms — leaves droop at night, some flowers close. Not sleep in the animal sense.

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