Transcript

Lots of animals depend on plants for their food, including humans.

But what do plants eat?

Plants have the almost unique ability to make their own food.

They do this through a process called photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis

Leaves contain special cells, which are full of a green pigment called chlorophyll.

chlorophyll

Chlorophyll absorbs light energy from the Sun.

During photosynthesis, chlorophyll uses this energy to change water absorbed from the soil and carbon dioxide absorbed from the air into oxygen and a type of food called carbohydrate.

photosynthesis
changes water and carbon dioxide
into carbohydrate and oxygen

The oxygen is released into the air by the leaves, but the carbohydrate stays inside the plant.

Plants store their carbohydrates in many different places: in leaves, stems, fruits and seeds.

The energy contained in this food allows the plant to grow and reproduce.

Photosynthesis is essential for the plant's survival.

But photosynthesis is essential for animals too, because when plants are eaten, the energy in their carbohydrates flows into the animals.

So now the animals can grow and reproduce too.

The oxygen produced during photosynthesis is also essential to other organisms.

So, by making their own food through photosynthesis, plants keep the whole world alive.

photosynthesis
chlorophyll
carbohydrate
oxygen

Film info

Related films

The willow