Plant Cells and Photosynthesis Yes, it IS your lucky day…

Cells! Cells! Cells! Living things are made of trillions of small units called cells Cells are the smallest living thing Some organisms (like bacteria) are only one cell Plants, animals, and fungi are all multi-cellular

Cell Structure Plant, animal, and fungi cells contain organelles Organelles are small organs that perform various tasks Each organelle is vital to overall cell function

Plant vs. Animal Cells Plant and Animal Cells differ in three ways: Plant cells have cell walls Plant cells have large vacuoles Plant cells have chloroplasts

Important Organelles Nucleus: contains DNA (blueprint for building plant) Chloroplast: performs photosynthesis Mitochondria: turns sugar into energy for growth Cell membrane: controls what enters and exits cell Cell wall: provides structural support Vacuole: for water storage Ribosomes: make proteins for structure and to help with chemical reactions

The Mighty Plant Cell

PHOTOSYNTHESIS!

What is Photosynthesis? Photosynthesis is how plants use light energy to convert CO2 and H2O into glucose and O2 The goal of photosynthesis is for the plant to make sugar for itself

What is Photosynthesis? The sugar (glucose) is used by the plant as energy to grow Sugar is converted to ATP (energy) through cellular respiration in mitochondria The O2 is given off as a waste product!

The Photosynthesis Equation

Where Does Photosynthesis Happen? Plant leaf cells: - In chloroplasts, which are organelles inside the cells - A molecule called chlorophyll inside of the chloroplasts captures the sun’s energy