* Reactants are consumed during a chemical reaction. In photosynthesis, water molecules are broken down, with their hydrogen atoms being used to create glucose (a sugar) and their oxygen atoms released as oxygen gas.
* Catalysts speed up a reaction without being consumed. While water is essential for photosynthesis, it doesn't act as a catalyst in the same way enzymes do.
Here's the simplified chemical equation for photosynthesis:
6CO₂ (carbon dioxide) + 6H₂O (water) + light energy → C₆H₁₂O₆ (glucose) + 6O₂ (oxygen)
As you can see, water (H₂O) is on the left side of the equation, indicating it's a reactant that is consumed during the process.
