Synopsis
The air we breathe, and all the food we eat, is created from water, sunlight, carbon dioxide and a few minerals. That's it, nothing else. It sounds simple, but this process is one of the most fascinating and complicated in all of science. Without it there could be no life on earth. It's that important.
- Programme: Botany: A Blooming History
- Episode: 2: Photosynthesis
- Channel: BBC Four
- Broadcast year: 2011
- Science
Licence: ERA Licence required
UK only
Staff and students of licensed education establishments only
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More clips from 02: Photosynthesis

Calvin-Benson cycle | Botany: A Blooming History
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How Benson and Calvin established the biochemical reactions involved in photosynthesis.

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Scientists harnessing the processes in photosynthesis.

How commercial growers apply knowledge of photosynthesis | Botany: A Blooming History
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How botanists made the connection between a plant's growth and the energy from the sun.

Photosynthesis research by Jan Ingenhouz | Botany: A Blooming History
Photosynthesis research by Jan Ingenhouz | Botany: A Blooming History
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More resources about Photosynthesis

1: Life From Light | How to Grow a Planet
1: Life From Light | How to Grow a Planet
How plants have driven the greatest changes to the Earth. Prof Iain Stewart shows how they first harnessed light from the sun and c...

An introduction to photosynthesis | Short Circuit
An introduction to photosynthesis | Short Circuit
An introduction to how plants photosynthesise using chlorophyll, and how important the process is in maintaining the balanc...

Calvin-Benson cycle | Botany: A Blooming History
Calvin-Benson cycle | Botany: A Blooming History
How Benson and Calvin established the biochemical reactions involved in photosynthesis.

Generation of clean fuels | Botany: A Blooming History
Generation of clean fuels | Botany: A Blooming History
Scientists harnessing the processes in photosynthesis.

How commercial growers apply knowledge of photosynthesis | Botany: A Blooming History
How commercial growers apply knowledge of photosynthesis | Botany: A Blooming History
Spec references J247: B1.4e J250: B1.4e. How commercial growers increase the amount of ...

How iodine was used to discover starch in plant leaves | Botany: A Blooming History
How iodine was used to discover starch in plant leaves | Botany: A Blooming History
How botanists made the connection between a plant's growth and the energy from the sun.

How photosynthesis is vital to the success of farming | Science of the Harvest
How photosynthesis is vital to the success of farming | Science of the Harvest
Stefan Gates reveals how we can see photosynthesis in action using some simple props.

Photosynthesis | Curriculum Bites
Photosynthesis | Curriculum Bites
Schools science programme where topics in the double science curriculum are broken down into small chunks.

Photosynthesis research by Jan Ingenhouz | Botany: A Blooming History
Photosynthesis research by Jan Ingenhouz | Botany: A Blooming History
Spec references J247: B1.4d J250: B1.4d. How Jan Ingenhouz researched photosynthesis by putting plants ...

Photosynthesis research by Julius von Sachs | Botany: A Blooming History
Photosynthesis research by Julius von Sachs | Botany: A Blooming History
Spec references J247: B1.4d. Experiment by Julius von Sachs which involves testing for starch in lea...

Photosynthisis | Bitesize Science
Photosynthisis | Bitesize Science
Photosynthesis is essential to life on this planet.

Rate of photosynthesis | i-Science
Rate of photosynthesis | i-Science
Photosynthesis is the chemical reaction through which plants make glucose and oxygen. It is crucial to all life on Earth because it is the...

The discovery of chloroplast | Botany: A Blooming History
The discovery of chloroplast | Botany: A Blooming History
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