Why can't a plant grow without sunlight?

Answer 1

Plants need carbon dioxide and water to produce glucose which can be used for energy. But they cannot use these molecules on their own. They need sunlight to split the water into its constituent hydrogen and oxygen. The hydrogen is transported to ultimately reduce carbon dioxide to glucose in what is called the Calvin Cycle. The oxygen is given off as waste.

Multitudinous glucose molecules can be strung together into starch and stored, to be used when there is no sunlight, but this starch-store will eventually be used up and, if no more light is given to the plant, it will not be able to continue glucose production and will die as glucose is its energy source.

Answer 2

most likely.plant can and can't die it depend on how long they don't have sunlight for instant if they were to die then at night all the plants would have died right?

But when there isn't enough light plant start respiration this is when they take in oxygen and give out carbon dioxide.

Answer 3

It is unable to undergo photosynthesis, and thus has no means of which to produce significant amounts of energy. Without energy, the plant subsequently dies as it is unable to perform necessary functions.

Answer 4

The energy of maintaining life (basal metabolic rate) HAS to come form somewhere -

for plants that source is sunlight.

Answer 5

Plants require sunlight for photosynthesis, the process that turns light into energy for the plant.

Answer 6

Green plants performing photosynthesis can not grow without light because light is necessary for photosynthesis. Many saprophytic and parasitic plants can grow in absence of sunlight.

Answer 7

They will droop and die.