Photosynthesis

All living things need or use energy. All organisms need or use energy in order to survive, it is one of the six characteristics of all living things. Animals get their energy from _________? plants and other animals Plants get their energy from _________? the sun

Two different types of organisms Autotrophs/producers- are organisms that can make their own food. What are two examples of organisms that can make their own food? Heterotrophs/consumers- are organisms that can NOT make their own food. Heterotrophs get their ENERGY by consuming (eating) other organisms. What are two examples of a heterotroph?

Autotroph = Producer Plants are autotrophs - they make their own food with the help of the sun. They do this through a process known as PHOTOSYNTHESIS. Algae and some bacteria are also autotrophs. Photosynthesis is the process by which a plant cell captures the sun’s energy and converts it to chemical energy.

Stages of Photosynthesis There are two stages of photosynthesis, they are: Stage one- capturing the sun’s energy in chlorplasts Stage two- converting that energy into chemical (usable) energy

Stage one: capturing energy Chloroplasts in plant cells capture energy from sunlight.

Chloroplasts Chloroplasts are in the cytoplasm of plant cells. They are flat, Frisbee-shaped structures filled with thylakoids. Thylakoids are small disk-like compartments made of membranes that are the site of photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis

Chloroplasts The thylakoids are surrounded by the stroma. Stroma are the inner liquid portion of the chloroplast. Thylakoids are often stacked on top of each other - they look like a stack of flapjacks. Source: http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/chloroplast-structure-chlorophyll-stroma-thylakoid-and-grana.html#lesson

Stage two: Converting energy into chemical (usable) energy The captured light energy is used to produce sugars and oxygen from the water and carbon dioxide a plant takes in.

Cross section of a leaf

Where do the RAW materials come from? Water is absorbed through the roots and stems of the plant. Carbon dioxide comes into the plant through tiny little openings called the stomata. Stomata Video

Stomata Video

Photosynthesis Equation 6 CO2 + 6 H2O C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6 O2 energy from sun Carbon dioxide + water sugar (fuel) + oxygen Raw Materials/Reactants (what is needed): Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Water (H2O) Products (what is created/produced): Sugar (C₆H₁₂O₆) and Oxygen (O2) Another name for sugar is glucose.

Photosynthesis Raw Materials/Reactants What are the raw materials? Carbon dioxide and water Where does the CO2 come from? Animals exhale then goes through stomata Where does the water come from? Absorbed through plants roots

Photosynthesis Products What are the products? Oxygen and glucose (sugar) Where does the oxygen go? Air for animals Where does the glucose (sugar) go? Food source for plants and animals

Photosynthesis Video