Which reaction is given by Cornelius Van Niel:

Options

A. `2H_2 O +CO_2 overset("Light") to CH_2 O +H_2 O+O_2`
B. `CO_2 +H_2 O overset("Light ") to CH_2 O +O_2`
C. `6O_2 +12H_2 O overset("Light") to C_6 H_(12)O_6 +6H_2 O+6CO_2`
D. `2H_2 O+ CO_2 overset("Lgiht ") CH_2 O+H_2O`

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Introduction to Cornelius Van Niel**: Cornelius Van Niel was a scientist known for his contributions to the understanding of photosynthesis. In 1931, he proposed a significant reaction related to this process.

2. **Understanding Photosynthesis**: Photosynthesis is a process that occurs in plants where light energy is converted into chemical energy. This process involves a series of reactions that can be categorized into light-dependent reactions and light-independent reactions.

3. **Redox Reaction**: Van Niel described photosynthesis as a redox (reduction-oxidation) reaction. In this context, redox reactions involve the transfer of electrons, where one substance is oxidized (loses electrons) and another is reduced (gains electrons).

4. **The Reaction Proposed by Van Niel**: The specific reaction proposed by Van Niel can be summarized as follows:
- Reactants: 2 H2O (water) + CO2 (carbon dioxide)
- Products: CH2O (formaldehyde) + O2 (oxygen) + H2O (water)

5. **Significance of the Reaction**: This reaction highlights that during photosynthesis, water is split (oxidized) to release oxygen, while carbon dioxide is reduced to form organic compounds (in this case, formaldehyde).

6. **Conclusion**: The correct reaction given by Cornelius Van Niel is:
\[ 2 H2O + CO2 \rightarrow CH2O + O2 + H2O \]
This reaction emphasizes the role of water and carbon dioxide in the process of photosynthesis and the production of oxygen as a byproduct.