Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration Quiz

Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration

• Photosynthesis is the process where producers (green plants) create glucose (chemical energy) from light energy. They do not need to consume other organisms for energy.

• Cellular respiration is a process occurring in producers and consumers that provides energy to cells. Chemical bonds in glucose are broken releasing chemical energy that organisms use for growth, repair and reproduction.

Energy Flow

• All organisms require energy to survive.
• Most energy for organisms comes from the sun (radiant energy).
• Light is a visible form of radiant energy.

Solar Radiation

• Roughly 70% of radiant energy is absorbed by the hydrosphere and lithosphere converting it to thermal energy.
• Thermal energy warms the atmosphere, evaporates water and creates winds.
• About 30% of radiant energy is reflected back into space.
• A small fraction (0.023%) of radiant energy is absorbed directly by living organisms through photosynthesis, converting it into chemical energy.

Chemical Energy

• Chemical energy is stored in cells and released as needed.
• All organisms utilize chemical energy for functions like movement, growth, and reproduction.

Producers and Consumers

• Producers create their own food via photosynthesis taking in light energy to create sugars.
• Consumers need to eat/consume other organisms to get energy, because they cannot perform photosynthesis

Photosynthesis

• Virtually all chemical energy contained in food originated from light energy captured during photosynthesis.

• In photosynthesis, producers convert the sun's light energy into chemical energy stored in sugar (glucose) molecules.

• Plants use or store glucose (sugars).

• Producers absorb carbon dioxide from the air and water, using the Sun's energy to convert it to sugars and oxygen.

• Chemical Equation: 6CO2 + 6H2O + sunlight → C6H12O6 + 6O2

Location of Photosynthesis

• Photosynthesis occurs within chloroplasts in plant cells.
• Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll, a green pigment that captures light energy for photosynthesis.

Cellular Respiration

• Photosynthesis produces stored energy in the form of sugar.
• Cellular respiration is a complementary process to make the stored energy from sugar usable for the organism.
• Chemical Equation: C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O + ATP

Cellular Respiration Location

• Cellular respiration takes place in the mitochondria, often called the powerhouse of the cell.

Complementary Processes

• Photosynthesis and Respiration are complementary processes.
• The products of one reaction are reactants in the other.
• Products of cellular respiration (CO2 and water) are the inputs for photosynthesis.
• Respiration produces CO2 and water needed by photosynthesis, which produces the sugars and oxygen needed by respiration .