Uses of Glucose from Photosynthesis

• In photosynthesis, carbon dioxide and water are chemically reacted using the energy from light, producing a sugar called glucose and the gas oxygen.
• The first use of the glucose produced in photosynthesis is to release energy in respiration, which takes place in the mitochondria.
• Plant cells respire all the time, including at night, so the second use of the glucose produced by photosynthesis is to produce the insoluble storage molecule starch.
• Starch can be converted back to glucose by the plant when it's needed, for example at night.
• In many plants, the glucose produced in photosynthesis is converted to fats and oils such as olive oil, which are used by the plant as a storage form of energy.
• The cell wall of a plant cell contains the molecule of cellulose, which gives it strength, and cellulose is made from the glucose produced by photosynthesis.
• The final use of the glucose produced in photosynthesis is to produce amino acids, which are used by the plant to synthesize proteins and foods such as peas, which are good protein sources.
• To make amino acids from glucose, plants need to absorb nitrate ions from the soil.