1. Photosynthesis & Cellular Respiration

2. What is Photosynthesis?
The process of photosynthesis is a chemical reaction.
It is the most important chemical reaction on our planet.

3. What is the Equation for the Chemical Reaction of Photosynthesis?

4. What is the equation for the chemical reaction of photosynthesis?

5. What is the equation for the chemical reaction of photosynthesis?
Six molecules of carbon dioxide react with six molecules of water to form 1 molecule of glucose and six molecules of oxygen.
Lego Photosynthesis Activity
Put the small bricks together in 6 pairs to form hydrogen pairs.
Put the medium bricks together into 9 pairs to form oxygen pairs.
Leave the large bricks separated, single carbon atoms.
Illustrate your molecules using colored pencils.
Pry apart the atom pairs. It take ENERGY to “break the bonds”- just like you have to use muscle effort to do it. This energy comes from sunlight in a photosynthesis reaction, otherwise it couldn’t happen.
Now assemble SIX water molecules and six carbon molecules as follows:
Attach ONE carbon Lego brick to TWO oxygen bricks to form one molecule of Carbon Dioxide, then construct 5 more molecules for a total of SIX CO2.
Attach TWO hydrogen Lego Bricks to ONE oxygen brick to form one molecule of Water (HcO), then ocnstruct 5 more molecules for a total of SIX H2O/
4. In photosynthesis plants take in CO2 and H2) and convert it to Glucose (C6H12O6) and Oxygen )2. Move all your molecules inside the “chloroplast” by placing them on the sheet of green contsruction paper. Energy for photosynthesis comes from the sun.

6. Describe Photosynthesis
The process of changing light energy to chemical energy
Energy stored as sugar
Occurs in plants and some algae
Plants need light energy, CO2, and H2O
Takes place in the chloroplasts, using chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants

7. What happens during photosynthesis?
Plants capture light energy and use that
energy to make glucose
Sunlight provides the energy needed by
chlorophyll to change molecules of carbon
dioxide and water into glucose
Oxygen is also released in this reaction

8. What happens during photosynthesis?
Carbon dioxide enters the leaf through holes called stomata.
CO2 combines with the stored energy in the chloroplasts through a chemical reaction to make glucose, (food).
The sugar is moved through tubes called phloem in the leaf to the roots, stems and fruits of the plants.
Some of the sugar is used right away by the plant for energy; some is stored as starch; and some is built into plant tissue.

9. Why is this important to us?
We cannot make our own food (glucose,
energy), we must get our food from plants.
Plants are the first step in the food chain.
The oxygen released during photosynthesis is necessary for all living
things.

10. Learn more about photosynthesis at:

11. Cellular What is Respiration?

12. What is Cellular Respiration?
The release of chemical energy for use by cells.
Once the energy that was in sunlight is changed into chemical energy by photosynthesis, an organism has to transform the chemical energy into a form that can be used by the organism.
This process is called cellular respiration.

13. Describe Cellular Respiration
The breakdown of glucose (food) molecules to release energy
The opposite of photosynthesis
Happens in the mitochondria
Takes place in all living things
Is a step by step process

14. What is the chemical equation for cellular respiration?

15. What is the chemical equation for cellular respiration?

16. Read how photosynthesis & respiration are related: