10. C3 plant

This is a picture of potatoes. Potatoes are an example of a C₃ plant. A C₃ plant uses a carbon fixation pathway that consists of three carbon atoms to convert carbon dioxide into a useful inorganic substance (carbon fixation). However, the enzyme that is responsible for this process (RuBisCO) can also react with oxygen. Once this occurs, the plant can consume the oxygen and produce carbon dioxide during photosynthesis (photorespiration). This is the reverse process that is not meant to occur in the plant because the nutrients needed for its survival can not be produced. Thus an evolutionary changed occurred to solve this problem (C₄ plants and CAM plants). Potatoes use this risky method of photosynthesis, as well as rice and wheat, which are other examples of C₃ plants.