Photosynthesis Explained: Where Wood's Carbon Comes From

How does photosynthesis help a tree build wood? Follow carbon from CO2 in the air through a leaf, into sugars, and eventually into the cellulose that helps form wood. This visual explainer shows what roots provide, how carbon dioxide enters through stomata, and how sunlight supplies energy for photosynthesis. It follows one possible path for carbon into a tree's structure; water and minerals are also essential, and not every carbon atom ends up in wood. Chapters 00:00 Where does wood's carbon come from? 00:21 What tree roots supply 01:08 How CO2 enters a leaf 01:57 How sunlight powers photosynthesis 02:49 From carbon dioxide to sugar 03:43 How cellulose helps build wood 04:23 Where else the carbon can go 05:15 The route from air to wood Sources NASA — The Carbon Cycle: https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-... OpenStax Biology 2e — Overview of Photosynthesis: https://openstax.org/books/biology-2e... OpenStax Biology 2e — Using Light Energy to Make Organic Molecules: https://openstax.org/books/biology-2e... OpenStax Biology 2e — Carbohydrates: https://openstax.org/books/biology-2e... U.S. Forest Service — Lignin Structure: https://research.fs.usda.gov/treesear... #Photosynthesis #TreeGrowth