What substance do plants release during photosynthesis?

During photosynthesis, plants engage in a vital process that converts sunlight into chemical energy. They take in carbon dioxide from the air and water from the soil. In the presence of sunlight, plants use chlorophyll, the green pigment in their leaves, to facilitate this transformation. As a result of this process, oxygen is produced as a byproduct and released into the atmosphere. This oxygen is essential for the survival of most living organisms, as they rely on it for respiration.

The process can be summarized by the equation:

6CO2 + 6H2O + sunlight → C6H12O6 + 6O2

In this equation, carbon dioxide and water are transformed into glucose and oxygen, highlighting that the oxygen released is indeed a direct product of photosynthesis. This underscores why the answer related to oxygen is the correct choice in this context, as it plays a crucial role in the ecosystem by contributing to the air that organisms breathe.