Which of the following is the correct chemical equation for photosynthesis?

• A. $C_6{H}_{12}{O}_6+6O_2\to 6{\mathrm{CO}}_2+6H_{2}O+\; light\; energy$
• B. $6{\mathrm{CO}}_2+6O_2\to C_6{H}_{12}{O}_6+6H_{2}O+\; light\; energy$
• C. $C_6{H}_{12}{O}_6+6H_{2}O\to 6{\mathrm{CO}}_2+6O_2+\; light\; energy$
• D. $6{\mathrm{CO}}_2+6H_{2}O+\; light\; energy\; \to C_6{H}_{12}{O}_6+6O_2$

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the reactants and products involved in the process of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the primary reactants being carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O).
2. Recognize that the products of photosynthesis are glucose (C6H12O6) and oxygen (O2). This is a key aspect of the photosynthesis process, where light energy is converted into chemical energy stored in glucose.
3. Understand that the process of photosynthesis requires light energy, which is absorbed by chlorophyll in the chloroplasts of plant cells. This energy is used to drive the chemical reaction.
4. Write the balanced chemical equation for photosynthesis. The general equation is: 6 CO2 + 6 H2O + light energy → C6H12O6 + 6 O2. This equation shows that six molecules of carbon dioxide and six molecules of water, in the presence of light energy, produce one molecule of glucose and six molecules of oxygen.
5. Verify the stoichiometry of the equation to ensure it is balanced. Check that the number of atoms of each element on the reactant side (left) is equal to the number on the product side (right). For photosynthesis, there are 6 carbon atoms, 12 hydrogen atoms, and 18 oxygen atoms on both sides of the equation.