Trees turn carbon dioxide into oxygen.
The chemical process of trees turning light energy into oxygen is called photosynthesis. The main purpose of photosynthesis is not actually to make oxygen but to make food for the tree.
The chlorophyll are really important for this process because without them the light energy could not be absorbed. It is the chloroplasts within the chlorophyll of the plants cells which absorbs the energy. It is also these cells which gives plants their green colour. The chloroplasts store the energy until it can be used.
The energy from the sun then acts upon the water absorbed by the roots. They split the hydrogen from the oxygen in a water molecule. The carbon dioxide released by humans and animals is then paired with the hydrogen to create sugar. The sugar is turned into plant food and the oxygen is released into the atmosphere.
I find it truly amazing how this works and how plants produce their own food by a chemical process called photosynthesis. Hopefully, this makes it clear how important it is to reduce deforestation. Trees and other plants help stabilise the planet’s climate and without them climate change would be a much greater issue. So, thank you trees for everything you do for us, we couldn’t be more grateful.
