Part 3/10:
Among these, carbon makes up around 45%, oxygen also accounts for another 45%, and hydrogen constitutes about 5%. Where do these essential elements come from? Much of the carbon and oxygen is obtained from the carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere. The hydrogen that trees utilize primarily comes from water absorbed through their roots. During photosynthesis, trees harness sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose, a critical sugar compound used to assemble complex materials like cellulose, starch, and lignin that construct the very structure of trees.