Why Do Plants Need Sunlight?
Plants use sunlight, water, and air to make their own food — and today you will find out how!
Have you ever wondered how a tiny seed grows into a tall sunflower? Plants are amazing living things that can make their own food. They do this using sunlight, water from the soil, and a gas from the air called carbon dioxide. This special process is called photosynthesis — a big word that just means "making food with light"!
Leaves are like little solar panels. They are usually flat and green so they can catch as much sunlight as possible. Inside every leaf are tiny green parts called chloroplasts. Chloroplasts hold a green pigment called chlorophyll — that is what gives leaves their lovely green colour!
When a plant makes its food, it also releases a gas called oxygen into the air. Oxygen is the gas that you and I breathe in. So every time a plant makes food in the sunshine, it is also helping animals and people breathe. Plants and animals are a great team!
If a plant does not get enough sunlight, it cannot make enough food and it will start to look droopy and pale. That is why gardeners put plants near windows or outside in the sun. Next time you water a plant or sit under a shady tree, remember — that plant has been busy working hard in the sunshine just for you!