r/confidentlyincorrect 2d ago

Understanding photosynthesis, trees, and conservation of mass.

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u/cheeseybees 2d ago

I thought (maybe i'm wrong?) that they still respire... so taking in Oxygen, and breathe out CO2... and that photosynthesis is a different mechanism that extracts CO2 from the air and produces O2

Pretty sure I read somewhere that some trees can take around a decade to grow to the point where they become net extractors of CO2?

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u/Bl00dWolf 2d ago

It's a bit more complicated that that. While plants do breathe out CO2 AND take in CO2 during photosynthesis. The amount in takes in is way larger than the amount it breather out. In fact, most of that CO2 ends up in the plant itself. It's why plants burn when they're set on fire. It's that same C that came from CO2 that's now being released back into the atmosphere again.

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u/cheeseybees 2d ago

Yeah, like... they build their bodies from the carbon they bring in... I think? :)

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u/Bl00dWolf 2d ago

Pretty much.