The light-independent and light-dependent reactions in a typical C3 plant.

The basic equation for photosynthesis is:

       6CO2        + 6H2O > C6H12O6 +  6O2

Carbon dioxide +  water >    glucose    + oxygen

However, this is a massive over simplification, and there are actually many things happening in-between the products and reactants.

Photosynthesis is a series of reactions that take place in the chloroplast of leaf cells, these reactions are split into two stages: the light dependent and the light independent.

Leaf structure:

• Wax cuticle lets light in but stops too much water from being lost
• Palisade cells are long to increase the chances of sunlight hitting the chlorophyll that they contain
• Spongy mesophyll has air gaps for quick gas exchange
• Vascular bundle (xylem (and phloem) brings water to the reaction
• Stomata allows CO2 in but doesn't let too much water out
• Leaves are thin so the diffusion distance is small and the SA for catching light is big

Chloroplasts:

• The chloroplast envelope- double plasma membrane to control the movement of substances in and out
• The grana- stacks of disks (thylakoids) which contain chlorophyll and have a large surface area for the first stage of photosynthesis.
• Interlamellae link gramun so that ions can be transported between them.
• The stoma- matrix with the enzymes needed for the second stage of photosynthesis
• DNA and ribosomes to manufacture proteins for photosynthesis