In photosynthesis, how do the plants split CO2 molecules into carbon and oxygen?

Answer 1

They don't split the carbon and oxygen. The short answer is that the plant splits the hydrogen from water and uses the energy of light to combine that hydrogen with carbon dioxide to produce glucose. The oxygen from the water is the waste product of this reaction.

There are two major stages in photosynthesis. The first stage depends on light and is therefore called the light reactions. It basically involves using energy from light to split H2O. One of the hydrogens is transferred to a "carrier molecule" called NADP, converting it to NADPH. The other is used in a complex reaction that converts ADP into ATP, an important energy-carrying molecule. The oxygen is released into the atmosphere as O2.

The simplified reaction in the light phase of photosynthesis is:
2 H2O + 2 NADP + 3 ADP + light --> 2 NADPH + O2 + 3 ATP

The NADPH and the ATP are important for the next stage of photosynthesis.

The second stage of photosynthesis does not require light and is therefore called the dark reactions. The plant uses the hydrogen from NADPH and the energy stored in ATP to convert CO2 into glucose (C6H12O6). The process is very complex, but the overall reaction is:
6 CO2 + 12 NADPH + 18 ATP --> C6H12O6 + 12 NADP + 18 ADP + 6 H2O

The NADP and ADP products of the dark reaction are recycled into the light reacion.

The net reaction for both phases taken together then becomes:
6 CO2 + 6 H2O --> C6H12O6 + 6 O2

For a more technical look at all the complexities of photosynthesis, check out the reference below. (It's a great site for science in general.)

Answer 2

i've got heard and view from a number of components that it quite is massive pacific sea kelp.. the stuff can improve as much as two ft an afternoon, supplying you with a concept of ways lots C02 is is changing to solid carbon and oxygen. The trick is to assemble it finally earlier it decomposes into methane, liberating the risky hydrocarbons returned into the ambience. "the hydrogen is chop up into protons and electrons"? the place did you get that baloney? you have nuclear fission happening interior a plant? i think of you ought to evaluate your components, my chum. outdoors of a cyclotron or a nuclear bomb, there is not something which will chop up a hydrogen atom. ADDENDUM; Ionization sure, however the atom isn't 'chop up', from what I comprehend? it quite is greater like what occurs to the valence shell of a conductor atom as an electric cutting-edge strikes by using it.. there's a relentless stampede of electrons coming & going because of the fact the flexibility flows, however the only electron isn't in any respect separated from the only proton, nonetheless it may desire to get replaced by yet another. i could desire to be incorrect, yet that's how I understood that it worked.

Answer 3

They do not split CO2. Rather, they combine CO2 with water, H2O, to form (CHOH) with the production of O2, which is emitted.