I understand the basic principle of the reaction (6CO2 + 6H2O > C6H12O6 + 6O2) and I’ve learned about redox reactions in school. But what I don’t get is *how* the energy from the sunlight is used to make/break these molecules.
Does the photon hit the CO2 in the chloroplast in just the right way to transfer al it’s energy into braking the bonds between the carbon an oxygen atoms? And then it just happens to reform into another molecule we call glucose?
I’ve found [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/2xkukx/-/cp0zjt9) other thread which explains the concept but it doesn’t go deep enough for my question.
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Chlorophyll is a semiconductor material, that makes up tiny solar panels. Those solar panels produce electricity, that is then used to electrochemically break up some stable molecules.
Plants and cyanobacteria break up water to get H+ ions and “useless” oxygen. This is actually the most difficult and dangerous type of photosynthesis. Other bacteria can break up iron- or sulfur-based chemicals to get those H+. Yes, oxygen in plants comes from water, not CO2.
The conversion of CO2 is actually a “dark” reaction – it does not require light. Those H+es are basically happy to join CO2 voluntarily – they only need enzymes to “shape” them into the right product.
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