The inputs for photosynthesis are:
- Light energy (usually from sunlight), which provides the energy needed to drive the chemical reactions
- Carbon dioxide (CO₂) , absorbed from the air through small openings in the leaves called stomata; it provides carbon atoms used to build glucose molecules
- Water (H₂O) , absorbed by the plant roots from the soil; it supplies hydrogen and oxygen atoms and replaces electrons lost during the photosynthetic process
These three inputs-light, carbon dioxide, and water-are essential reactants that plants use to produce glucose (a sugar) and oxygen through photosynthesis
