Removing Carbon Dioxide from Photosynthasis

 

There are two main reactions, or processes, that occur during the process of photosynthesis within a plant. Sunlight begins by hitting the chlorophyll in Photosystem II and exciting the electrons (e-). Then, these excited electrons move to Photosystem I. The excited electrons cause water, H2O to break apart into oxygen, hydrogen, and more electrons. These electrons then move to the electron transport chain, ETC, where they force hydrogen into the thylakoid membrane. Inside the thylakoid, there is too many hydrogen ions which causes an imbalance which then forces ATP synthase (protein) to move hydrogen ions out. This causes ADP to make ATP. ATP then moves to the light independent reaction. It breaks apart carbon dioxide, CO2, to make new carbon molecules called PGA and RUBP. These carbon molecules produce glucose, food for the plants. This process is very complicated and detailed. If one factor is removed, the entire process could change and affect life in very drastic and possibly have some devastating outcomes.

When you remove carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the process, your outcome could completely change the world as we know it. Photosynthesis uses the energy of sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugars (glucose) and oxygen. Sunlight + 6CO2 + 6H2O = C6H12O6 + 6O2. Carbon dioxide molecules are an essential part of the photosynthesis process. Without CO2, glucose would not be possible because it requires 6 molecules of carbon. Oxygen would not be made either, because oxygen consists of the 6O2 molecules that were left from the carbon dioxide equation/compound. Without glucose, plants would be forced to adapt to a different type of glucose made of a different compound, or a completely different food and energy source altogether. The sudden removal of CO2 would result in an inability to adapt and would kill the plant due to the lack of food and much needed nutrients for survival. Also, the oxygen supply in Earth’s atmosphere would not last forever. If all plants were unable to produce oxygen, humans, animals, and any other organisms that survive on oxygen would use up all the supply and then leave their supply empty, causing mass extinctions. Changing photosynthesis, a process that is a required resource for most life on Earth, would result in extinction of hundreds of thousands of species, leaving very minimal species of organisms alive. There would be no plant life or human activity of any kind if CO2 was removed from Photosynthesis.

Resources and Citations

"Carbon Cycle and the Earth's Climate." Carbon Cycle and the Earth's Climate. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012. http://www.columbia.edu/~vjd1/carbon.htm .

"The Importance of Carbon for Climate Regulation." The Importance of Carbon for Climate Regulation. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. http://www.indiana.edu/~geol105b/1425chap8.htm .

"Photosynthesis." HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2012. http://science.howstuffworks.com/dictionary/biology-terms/photosynthesis-info.htm .

"PHOTOSYNTHESIS." PHOTOSYNTHESIS. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012. http://www.emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/biobk/biobookps.html .

"Photosynthesis: The Greenest Energy." Photosynthesis: The Greenest Energy. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. http://www.hometrainingtools.com/photosynthesis-newsletter/a/1501/ .