Biology – 6.1 Plant nutrition – photosynthesis | e-Consult

During photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and water from the soil. Using light energy and chlorophyll, they convert these substances into glucose (a sugar) and oxygen. The word equation Carbon dioxide + Water → Glucose + Oxygen (in the presence of light and chlorophyll) summarizes this process. Carbon dioxide and water are the reactants, and glucose and oxygen are the products. Light energy is essential to drive the reaction, and chlorophyll is the pigment that absorbs the light energy.