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Article: Knowing photosynthesis - the life-giving process.(Educators Speak)
- Article from:
- Manila Bulletin
- Article date:
- June 18, 2006
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Manila Bulletin Publishing Corp. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Ricardo M. Lantican, Ph.D. National Scientist, NAST Professor Emeritus, UP Los Banos
IN grade school, our teachers explained photosynthesis to us simply as the conversion of sunlight into "food" for plants. But how does this mysterious work of nature really work? Photosynthesis is a basic life process by which carbon dioxide and water, in the presence of light and chlorophyll, are converted by algae, certain species of bacteria and higher plants, into carbon-containing and energy-rich organic compounds. In other words, photosynthesis is responsible for transforming and storing solar energy into organic molecules which, in turn, are used as a source of ...