CO2 is necessary for plants for what? How to prove the need for CO2?

Traditionally, it is believed that oxygen is needed for living organisms. Therefore, it was surprising enough to read the title of the article "CO2 is necessary for plants for ...". The answer to this puzzle is below.

Carbon dioxide and its properties

Carbon dioxide, coal anhydrite, carbon dioxide - all these are names of the same substance. This is all known carbon dioxide. Under normal conditions, this substance is in the gaseous state, while it has no color and odor. As the temperature of the air decreases, the carbon dioxide hardens and becomes white. In this modification it is called "dry ice". It is quite a reactive substance. Carbon dioxide reacts with metals, oxides and alkalis. It is able to form an unstable compound with hemoglobin of blood, like oxygen. This is how gas exchange is carried out with the help of the circulatory system. It is not a poisonous substance, but at high concentrations it is referred to toxic gases.

In nature, it is formed as a result of the breathing of living organisms, rotting and burning. In the gaseous state, the carbon dioxide dissolves in water. That is why, it is possible to talk about CO2 supply systems in aquariums with plants and their need for normal life of algae. Has carbon dioxide and industrial importance. It is widely used in the food industry as a baking powder and preservative. In a liquefied condition, they are filled with fire extinguishers and automatic fire extinguishing systems.

What is photosynthesis

First of all, CO2 is needed for plants to flow through an important process that has a planetary significance - photosynthesis. In its course, a glucose carbohydrate is formed from a number of inorganic substances. It is used by plants for nutrition, growth, development and other processes of life. In addition, another product of this reaction is oxygen - the basic condition for the existence of all living beings on the planet, since it is necessary for breathing. Gas exchange in the plant is possible due to the presence in the integumentary tissue of their leaves of special formations - stomata. Each of them consists of two leaflets. Under certain conditions, they close and open. Through them comes the flow of both oxygen and carbon dioxide.

Conditions for the passage of photosynthesis

Photosynthesis occurs only in specialized structures of the main and integumentary tissue of the leaf. They are called chloroplasts. Their internal contents are represented by the thylakoids of the gran and stroma, on which the coloring matter is located - the pigment chlorophyll. It gives some parts of the plant a green color. In horoplast, photosynthesis occurs only under certain conditions. This is the presence of sunlight, water and carbon dioxide. And the result of this chemical reaction is the formation of the organic matter of glucose and oxygen gas. The first of them is the source of life of the plants themselves, the second one uses all the rest to breathe. This process is of planetary importance.

Carbon dioxide and plants

How to prove the need for CO2? Very simple. Since carbon dioxide is released in nature as a result of breathing, its lack in nature is not observed. However, in aquarium water it is not so much because of the small species diversity of living organisms. Therefore, if you do not use special installations for the supply of carbon dioxide, after a certain time, its quantity will not be enough for an intensive process of photosynthesis. After all, CO2 is necessary for plants to produce nutrients on their own. Timely and constant supply of carbon dioxide in the water will be a condition that your aquarium will be filled with lush and bright algae.

The gas needed for plants to breathe: the importance of oxygen

It turns out that as a result of their vital activity, plants release oxygen, and do not absorb it. Then the question arises: how do they breathe, and in general do they have the process of oxidation and splitting of organic substances? Of course, like all other living organisms, they use the same oxygen. It turns out that in plants simultaneously two essentially opposite processes occur. This is photosynthesis and breathing. Each of them is necessary for the normal life of plants.

Photosynthesis and respiration: what's more important

The uniqueness of plants lies in the fact that they are the only living creature that secrete both oxygen and carbon dioxide practically simultaneously. But this does not mean that they are dangerous and they can not be located in living quarters. The thing is that oxygen is produced much more by oxygen than carbon dioxide.

In order not to violate this natural balance, it is necessary to observe the conditions of these processes. For example, if sunlight does not penetrate into a room with indoor plants, photosynthesis does not occur. At the same time, the formation of glucose stops. But the process of breathing continues. In the air, a large amount of carbon dioxide accumulates. And in this case, plants can become dangerous. In the end, both these processes are vitally important. Only due to oxygen plants breathe, and with the help of carbon dioxide produce glucose and feed.

So, CO2 is necessary for plants to carry out the process of obtaining organic substances - photosynthesis, which is of paramount importance on a planetary scale.