Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration How plants make there food and ours

Where does all of the food in the world come from? All of the food in the world has to come from somewhere. Some animals eat other animals for food, some animals eat plants for food, but where do plants get there food? The answer is photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process of plants using energy from the sun, carbon dioxide from the air, and water to produce, oxygen, and starch. Starch is the basic form of food that all life forms on earth use.

How does photosynthesis work? The leaves of plants contain a green substance called chlorophyll. This substance is made up of Chloroplasts which catch energy from the sun. This energy is used to break the bonds in carbon dioxide, and water. The molecules are recombined to form new molecules of starch and oxygen. Did you know? That it is thought that all the oxygen in the world was created by green algae in the oceans through photosynthesis. Eventually enough oxygen was produced to sustain life on outside of the water. Check out this website: http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/earthguide/diagrams/photosynthesis/photosynthesis.html

Photosynthesis formula Six molecules of carbon dioxide + Six molecules of water + energy from the sun react to produce one molecule of starch and three molecules of oxygen.

How plants use their energy Plants use the starch they produce as energy. They use this energy to grow. Last class we talked about two types of transport. One of these types of transport would use starch as energy. Do you know which type this is????? Since photosynthesis requires sunlight to produce energy, what happens to plants when there is no sunlight????? How Do they survive??????

The answer is Cellular Respiration When there is no sunlight plants use a process called cellular respiration to survive. This process uses up starch that the plant has stored through photosynthesis in order to meet the requirements they need to survive. Did you know???? That almost all organisms in the world use cellular respiration, even us. That is why animals breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide.

Formula for Cellular Respiration The formula for cellular respiration is the exact opposite of the one for photosynthesis. One molecule of starch + three molecules of oxygen react to produce six molecules of carbon dioxide, six molecules of water, and energy that is lost as heat. Do you need proof???? What happens when you breathe into a clear plastic bag, or when it’s cold outside???? Answer: The steam that you see when you breathe in the winter is tiny droplets of water that are produced from cellular respiration. The reason your breath and body is warm is due to the heat produced from respiration.

The plant cycle -Plants grow in cycles. That means that there are different stages of their lives where the plants have different roles. The three main stages of the cycle that you need to know are the -Seed Stage -Seedling Stage -Adult plant stage

A diagram of the seed cycle

The seed stage The seed has three main parts, can you guess what they are? The Embryo, the stored food, and a seed coat. The embryo is the part of the seed that grows into a new plant. The stored food provides the energy needed for the embryo to grow while it is unable to produce it’s own food. The seed coat is the protective layer around the embryo and the stored food.

The seedling stage After the plant starts to grow and produce food on it’s own it is know as a seedling. In the seedling stage the plant grows very fast and produces new leaves. Seedling produce their own food, but aren’t mature enough to reproduce yet.

The adult plant A plant is considered and adult when it produces reproductive structures. The structures may be either asexual or sexual. The adult stage is followed by the process of pollination. Pollination produces new seeds and the process starts all over again.

The difference between pollination and fertilization. Is there a difference between pollination and fertilization? If so what are the differences? Pollination is when the pollen grain lands on the pistil. Once this happens a pollen tube is formed which transports the sperm down the pistil to the ovary. Inside of the ovary are the ovules (eggs) When the sperm joins with the egg this is when fertilization occurrs.

Closure questions 1)Do all organisms perform both photosynthesis and cellular respiration??? Explain. 2)What is the difference in formula’s between cellular respiration and photosynthesis??? 3)What effect do photosynthesis and cellular respiration have on carbon dioxide and oxygen levels. 4)What are the stages of the plant cycle? What are the characteristics of each of these stages