Content Transparency #4B

Use with Chapter 4, pp. 96–97

What is photosynthesis?
Photosynthesis is the process that plants use to make sugar for
food. Photosynthesis happens in the chloroplasts of plant cells.

Chloroplast
Inside a chloroplast are structures that look like stacked plates.
They contain chlorophyll.

Chlorophyll absorbs sunlight. This gives the cell energy

to make sugar from carbon dioxide and water.

Water enters the

chloroplast.

Carbon dioxide
from the air enters
the chloroplast
through small holes
in the bottom of
leaves.

When more sunlight reaches

the chloroplast, more sugar
is made. There is less sugar
in the plant on cloudy days
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Oxygen is a product of respiration. or at night.

The plant releases some of this
oxygen through holes in the bottom
of the leaves.

Grade 5 • Life Science