The oxygen released into the air as a product of photosynthesis comes from
water.
The oxygen released into the air as a product of photosynthesis comes from the splitting of water molecules during the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis. This process, also known as photolysis, occurs in the thylakoid membrane of the chloroplasts.
During photolysis, light energy is absorbed by the pigments in photosystem II, and the energy is used to split water molecules into oxygen, hydrogen ions (H+), and electrons (e-). The oxygen atoms combine to form molecules of O2, which is released into the air. The hydrogen ions and electrons are used to produce ATP and NADPH, which are utilized in the Calvin cycle to produce glucose, the primary product of photosynthesis.
Therefore, the oxygen released into the air during photosynthesis is a direct result of the splitting of water molecules in the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis.
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