How do plants produce oxygen during photosynthesis?

Plants produce oxygen during photosynthesis, a process in which they convert light energy into chemical energy stored in glucose. Here’s how oxygen is produced:

Step-by-Step Explanation

1. Light Absorption:
   • Chlorophyll in the chloroplasts absorbs light energy from the Sun.
   • This energy is used to split water molecules in a process called photolysis.
2. Photolysis of Water:
   • In the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis (occurring in the thylakoid membranes of chloroplasts), water molecules ($H_{2}OH\_2O$) are split into:
     • Oxygen gas ($O_{2}O\_2$​)
     • Protons ($H^{+}H^+$)
     • Electrons ($e^{-}e^-$)
   • The chemical reaction is:
     $2H_{2}O\to 4H^{+}+4e^{-}+O_{2}2H\_2O\; \backslash rightarrow\; 4H^+\; +\; 4e^-\; +\; O\_2$​
3. Release of Oxygen:
   • The oxygen atoms from the split water molecules combine to form molecular oxygen ($O_{2}O\_2$​), which is released into the atmosphere as a byproduct.
4. Energy Conversion:
   • The electrons and protons generated during photolysis are used to produce energy carriers (ATP and NADPH) in the light-dependent reactions. These energy carriers fuel the light-independent reactions (Calvin cycle) to synthesize glucose.

Summary of Oxygen Production:

• Source of Oxygen: Water ($H_{2}OH\_2O$)
• Process: Photolysis (light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis)
• Byproduct: Oxygen gas ($O_{2}O\_2$​) released into the atmosphere

Importance of Oxygen Production:

• This oxygen supports aerobic respiration in most living organisms, maintaining the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere.