photosynthesis
the complex process by which carbon dioxide, water, and certain inorganic salts are converted intocarbohydrates by green plants, algae, and certain bacteria, using energy from the sun and chlorophyll.
Origin of photosynthesis
1Other words from photosynthesis
- pho·to·syn·thet·ic [foh-tuh-sin-thet-ik], /ˌfoʊ tə sɪnˈθɛt ɪk/, adjective
- pho·to·syn·thet·i·cal·ly, adverb
- non·pho·to·syn·thet·ic, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use photosynthesis in a sentence
It is produced in large quantities in green leaves as the temporary storage form of photosynthetic products.
The Chemistry of Plant Life | Roscoe Wilfred ThatcherPorter, A. M. Effect of light intensity on the photosynthetic efficiency of tomato plants.
The Tomato | Paul Work
British Dictionary definitions for photosynthesis
/ (ˌfəʊtəʊˈsɪnθɪsɪs) /
(in plants) the synthesis of organic compounds from carbon dioxide and water (with the release of oxygen) using light energy absorbed by chlorophyll
the corresponding process in certain bacteria
Derived forms of photosynthesis
- photosynthetic (ˌfəʊtəʊsɪnˈθɛtɪk), adjective
- photosynthetically, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for photosynthesis
[ fō′tō-sĭn′thĭ-sĭs ]
The process by which green plants, algae, diatoms, and certain forms of bacteria make carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water in the presence of chlorophyll, using energy captured from sunlight by chlorophyll, and releasing excess oxygen as a byproduct. In plants and algae, photosynthesis takes place in organelles called chloroplasts. Photosynthesis is usually viewed as a two-step process. First, in the light reactions, the energy-providing molecule ATP is synthesized using light energy absorbed by chlorophyll and accessory pigments such as carotenoids and phycobilins, and water is broken apart into oxygen and a hydrogen ion, with the electron of the hydrogen transferred to another energy molecule, NADPH. The ATP and NADPH molecules power the second part of photosynthesis by the transfer of electrons. In these light-independent or dark reactions, carbon is broken away from carbon dioxide and combined with hydrogen via the Calvin cycle to create carbohydrates. Some of the carbohydrates, the sugars, can then be transported around the organism for immediate use; others, the starches, can be stored for later use. Compare chemosynthesis. See Note at transpiration.
a closer look
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Cultural definitions for photosynthesis
Use by green plants of the energy in sunlight to carry out chemical reactions, such as the conversion of carbon dioxide into oxygen. Photosynthesis also produces the sugars that feed the plant.
Notes for photosynthesis
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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