The overall equation for oxygenic photosynthesis is 6CO2 12

The overall equation for oxygenic photosynthesis is 6CO_2 + 12H_2 O + light energy rightarrow C_6 H_12 O_6 + 6O_2 + 6H_2 O Which of the reactants (on the left side of the reaction) is oxidized? Which is reduced?

Solution

Most of the plants, algae and cyanobacteria carry out the photosynthesis process.

In this process light energy get converted into the chemical energy and oxygen is released during this process. Photosynthesis is used for carbon fixation.

The organisms that carry out the photosynthesis process are called photoautotrophs that is they can prepare their own food material in the presence of sunlight.

In the overall reaction of oxygenic photosynthesis, the carbon dioxide get reduced to produce carbohydrates like glucose and the water is oxidized to produce oxygen.

This process use water as an electron source and generate oxygen as an end product of photosynthesis.

The oxygenic photosynthesis generally occurs in two stages – light dependant reaction and light independent reactions.

The light dependant reaction convert the light energy into chemical energy and produces the ATP and NADPH and the light independent reaction use this ATP and NADPH and they reduce carbon dioxide to carbohydrates.

Thus the reactants get oxidized and reduced in the overall reaction of the oxygenic photosynthesis.