Trace the word equation: light, carbon dioxide, and water go in; energy-rich carbon compounds and oxygen come out. Identify plants, algae, and cyanobacteria as organisms that can do this kind of oxygen-releasing photosynthesis.

Reason through where new leaf, stem, and root material comes from during growth. Connect carbon dioxide from the air to the sugars plants use as building blocks, instead of treating soil as the main source of plant mass.

Apply the previous explanations in a guided problem.

Connect photosynthesis to stored food by seeing how extra sugar can be changed into starch. Recognize starch in leaves as evidence that a plant has recently made energy-rich carbon compounds.

Use bubbles from aquatic plants as a visible clue that gas is being released during photosynthesis. Link those bubbles to oxygen production while keeping the full word equation in view.

Apply the previous explanations in a guided problem.

Check your understanding with a short quiz.

Review this chapter with practice based on your mistakes.