Photosynthesis & Respiration Energy for Plants & Animals

Animals vs. Plants Animals cannot make their own food and survive on their own Animals either have to eat plants or other animals to survive Plants CAN make their own food This is why PLANTS are the beginning of the FOOD CHAIN

Sun’s Energy All energy comes from the sun either directly or indirectly Energy comes from the sun directly to plants as they use the sunlight in photosynthesis Energy comes from the sun indirectly to animals through eating plants (that got their energy from the sun) or other animals

Photosynthesis Plants food making process Photosynthesis is a chemical reaction where ENERGY from light (sun) is changed to CHEMICAL ENERGY which plants can use The converted chemical energy is turned into sugar which is called glucose

Light, Water, Carbon Dioxide All plants need three things to grow Light (sun) Water (rain) Carbon Dioxide (Atmosphere)

Chloroplasts & Chlorophyll Photosynthesis takes place in a tiny piece of the plant called the Chloroplast Chloroplasts have Chlorophyll in them This is what gives the leaves of the plants their green color Chloroplasts are located in the leaves of the plants

Sunlight Sun shines down onto a plant The sunlight shines onto the leaves of the plant which is where the Chloroplasts are The Chlorophyll in the leaves trap the sunlight to make sugar

Carbon Dioxide & Water Next the plant takes in Carbon Dioxide through the Stomata in the leaves Next the Water is taken from the ground through the plant’s root system

Water + Carbon Dioxide + Sunlight The water from the roots combine with the Carbon from the atmosphere and the sunlight from the sun to make GLUCOSE (sugar energy) The plant then stores the glucose in the stem & flower of the plants

Plant Waste = Oxygen When these three combine they don’t use everything and some of it is turned to waste and given off back into the atmosphere. This waste is called Oxygen

Respiration Respiration is another chemical reaction that works with photosynthesis It is the opposite of photosynthesis It released energy to organisms and its waste is Carbon Dioxide

Animals Eat & Breathe Animals eat a plant or another animal and get glucose from that plant or animal they ate Animals breathe in the oxygen that the plant gave out as waste

Mitochondria goes to Work The glucose (sugar) (carbs) and the oxygen travel to the Mitochondria which is part of each animal cell Mitochondria breaks down the oxygen & glucose (carbs) and releases water vapor & carbon Dioxide into the air At the same time it releases energy into the cell

Transpiration Transpiration is when plant leaves open their cells to take in carbon dioxide and lose water to evaporation Stomata & guard cells open Water Evaporates Carbon Dioxide enters the plant Transpiration is important because it moves the water throughout the plant

Opening the Stomata Plant opens the Stomata of the leaf to let water vapor out & Carbon Dioxide in The plant immediately wants to replace the water it lost through the stomata Transpiration makes the roots suck more water from the ground

Moving through the Plant Transpiration bonds the water molecules together & the Xylem sucks the water up through the stem & all the way to the flower (working against gravity)

How do they Relate Photosynthesis & Respiration use each other to continue their process In order to complete Photosynthesis the plant must have Carbon Dioxide which they can only get from animal respiration In order to complete Respiration the animal must have Oxygen which it gets from the plant when the plant goes through photosynthesis In order for Transpiration to occur the plant must take in carbon dioxide from respiration

Important Points Plants are the beginning of the FOOD CHAIN Photosynthesis & Respiration work together & relate to each other Photosynthesis combines Carbon+Water+Sunlight to give the plant energy Respiration breaks down glucose + Oxygen and releases energy in the process Photosynthesis takes place in the Chloroplasts which is inside the plant cells Respiration takes place in the Mitochondria which is inside the animal cells