why do plants release oxygen if they need it
A: Plants release oxygen as a by-product of photosynthesis, a process in which carbon dioxide is converted into sugar. The sugar is then used as an energy source for the plant. When oxygen is produced through photosynthesis, it is released by the plant into the atmosphere. The sugars produced by photosynthesis are utilized by combining them with oxygen through a process called oxidation. Photosynthesis chemically converts sunlight into energy after being collected by special cells in their leaves known as chloroplasts.