General information: The leaves of a plant are the main photosynthetic organs and are involved in gas exchange and water transport throughout the plant (Evans et al, 17). A leaf generally consists of an upper and lower epidermis, mesophyll cells, veins, guard cells, and stomata. Mesophyll cells contain spongy cells that have large spaces between each cell to allow the circulation of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Mesophyll cells contain palisade cells located beneath the upper epidermis. Palisade cells contain numerous chloroplasts, which are green organelles. Located in the inner layers of chloroplasts is the pigment chlorophyll which is involved in trapping light energy in photosynthesis (Evans et al, 17). Autotrophs such as plants, algae and cyanobacteria harness energy from the sun and convert it into chemical energy. which is stored in the bonds of glucose molecules (Gregory, 2006). This process, known as photosynthesis, is used by plants in which carbon dioxide, water and light energy are used to make glucose and a byproduct of oxygen.6CO2 + 6H2O + (light energy) C6H12O6 + 6O2As visible in the equation above, the two byproducts of photosynthesis are glucose and oxygen. Plants do not use all the oxygen but circulate it throughout the environment. Light is a form of energy. The color of light that our eyes see is that which is not absorbed, but reflected. Visible light is the only form of electromagnetic waves that human eyes can see. When white light passes through a prism, it splits into colors of the visible light spectrum. Each color has a different wavelength. Ultraviolet (UV) light has shorter wavelengths than red which has long wavelengths....... middle of paper ......March 16, 2010, http://www .sas.upenn.edu/~msheila/Microsoft %20Word%20-%20Why%20are%20plants%20green.pdfJ. Stein Carter (2004), Photosynthesis, accessed March 20, 2010, http://biology.clc.uc.edu/Courses/Bio104/photosyn.htmMcDaniel College (2010), Photosynthesis plant pigments, accessed March 12, 2010, http: //www2.mcdaniel.edu/Biology/botf99/photo/p3igments.htmlMichael J. Gregory (2006), Photosynthesis, accessed March 11, 2010, http://faculty.clintoncc.suny.edu/faculty/michael.gregory/ files/Bio %20101/Bio%20101%20Lectures/photosynthesis/photosyn.htmMichael McDarby (2010), Biology of Animals and Plants, accessed March 16, 2010, http://faculty.fmcc.edu/mcdarby/Animals&PlantsBook/Plants /01-Photosynthesis. htm#Light%20featuresM.J. Farabee (2007), Photosynthesis, accessed March 12, 2010, www.emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/BIOBK/BioBookPS.html