What are the reactants required for photosynthesis?

The correct answer identifies the essential reactants for the process of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis primarily occurs in plants, algae, and certain bacteria, transforming light energy into chemical energy in the form of glucose. The key reactants required for this process are carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight.

Carbon dioxide, obtained from the atmosphere, is absorbed through small openings in the leaves called stomata. Water, taken up from the soil by plant roots, serves as a source of electrons and protons necessary for the chemical reactions that occur during photosynthesis. Sunlight provides the energy needed to drive these reactions, specifically the light-dependent reactions that capture light energy and convert it into chemical forms that power the synthesis of glucose.

Glucose and oxygen are not reactants; rather, they are products of photosynthesis. Oxygen is released as a byproduct when water molecules are split to provide electrons during the light reactions. Thus, understanding the correct reactants—carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight—is fundamental to grasping how photosynthesis functions and the cycling of energy and matter in ecosystems.