PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND CELLULAR RESPIRATION

 

VOCABULARY FROM PACKET:

 

Autotrophic- they CAN make their own food by taking in inorganic substances (CO₂ and H₂O) and changing them into organic substances (Glucose), they are “self feeders.”  Example: plants

 

Heterotrophic- they CANNOT make their own food.  They must get their complex organic compounds by eating other organisms; they are “other feeders.”  Example: Humans and other animals

 

Inorganic- substances that do not contain carbon.  Example: H₂O and an exception is CO₂.

 

Organic- substances that contain carbon.  Example: glucose

 

Photosynthesis- the process of making food by combining the inorganic raw materials of CO₂ and H₂O into organic compounds such as sugar and starch and using light as the source of energy.  The energy ends up in glucose. 

chlorophyll

CO₂ + H₂O      ---------------à C₆H₁₂O₆ + O₂

Light energy

 

Chlorophyll- the green pigment found in plants needed for photosynthesis, it is found in the chloroplasts.

 

Chloroplasts-the chlorophyll containing organelles found in plant cells where photosynthesis occurs.

 

ATP- the energy stored in glucose is converted into a usable form, the energy source of all cells.

 

Cellular Respiration-  basically the opposite process of photosynthesis.  Instead of being produced in the cells, the energy rich glucose molecules are taken apart to release their stored energy.  Oxygen is used, and Carbon Dioxide and water are released as wastes. Energy ends up  as ATP.

 

enzymes

            Glucose + oxygen ----------------à carbon dioxide + water + energy

            C₆H₁₂O₆ + O₂                                                     CO₂    +   H₂O + ATP

 

 

Aerobic- oxygen is used to produce ATP

 

Notes on photosynthesis and cellular respiration:

 

Photosynthesis is important for living things because if plants did not capture energy from sunlight and convert it into the chemical forms that are edible, most animals would have no constant source of food and could not exist.

 

Cellular respiration is important for living things because energy stored in glucose is converted into a usable form of energy for all cells as ATP.  Cells use energy from ATP to perform many life processes.