what are c3 plants and how do they work
C3 Photosynthesis. Plants which use only the Calvin cycle for fixing the carbon dioxide from the air are known as C3 plants. In the first step of the cycle CO 2 reacts with RuBP to produce two 3-carbon molecules of 3-phosphoglyceric acid (3-PGA).4 plants almost never saturate with light and under hot, dry conditions much outperform C3 plants. They use a two-stage process were CO 2 is fixed in thin-walled mesophyll cells to form a 4-carbon intermediate, typically malate (malic acid).
The C3 and C4 refer to how these classes of plants assimilate carbon dioxide into their systems. During the first steps in CO2 assimilation, C3 plants form a pair of three carbon-atom molecules.4 plants, on the other hand, initially form four carbon-atom molecules. In C3 plants CO2 enters the leaf through the stomata, which are microscopic pores found on the under-surface of leaves and on stems.