The start of a food chain. Energy from the sun comes to earth as light.

Algae and Green leaves have cells which contain a green pigment called chlorophyll

Chlorophyll in the cells of living algae will trap some of the energy from sunlight

Chlorophyll in the cells of living leaves will trap some of the energy from sunlight

Chlorophyll inside leaf cells. The chlorophyll packets are called chloroplasts

The chloroplasts is where food is produced… (where sugar is made ) You are looing at the place where most food chains start!

During Photosynthesis the energy from sunlight is trapped by green chlorophyll and then the energy is stored inside a carbohydrate called GLUCOSE SUGAR

This process is called PHOTOSYNTHESIS

Glucose sugar is made out of Water and Carbon Dioxide

A leaf is designed to bring together 3 ingredients. CO 2, H 2 0, and light co

Air Enters and leaves a leaf through tiny openings called Stomata. CO2 in…. O2 OUT

Water is carried in small tubes from root to leaf. We see the tubes as leaf veins

Thin leaves allow light to penetrate and hit chlorophyll

Photosynthesis is all about making a sugar called GLUCOSE … C 6 H

The equation for Photosynthesis

Energy from the sun is now stored in the sugar Energy is measured in calories

Made from CO2 and Water… with sunlight stored inside! ( calories )

During Photosynthesis… carbon dioxide is removed from the air and used to make sugar.

During Photosynthesis oxygen is released to the air

PLANT CELLS run on energy stored in glucose sugar

Animal Cells run on the energy stored in Glucose

Model of a Glucose sugar molecule. C 6 H 12 O 6

The sun’s energy is now stored in the bonds of glucose sugar

GLUCOSE is THE SUGAR We can make all other foods ( Fats / Oils / Protein / Starch etc.. From Glucose sugar. This means that a food chain is driven by Glucose!

STARCH IS GLUCOSE molecules hooked together like train cars

STARCH

The only way energy gets into the bonds of glucose on the earth’s surface