Why Photosynthesis is Essential for Life on Earth

1. Why Photosynthesis is Essential for Life on Earth By Madi, Jaime & Kirsten

2. Movement of chemical energy through food chains /food webs. Energy enters an ecosystem in the form of heat from the sun. This energy is absorbed by organisms such as plants, and is then converted to other forms of energy and stored. Once stored, energy is used for necessary life functions, such as growth, movement and reproduction. Plants, animals and microorganisms release energy in the form of heat, for example through breathing and sweating. Energy Flow Primary Consumer Secondary Consumer Plants Energy Flow Decomposers

3. Plants only capture about 1% of the energy that reaches the earth from the sun. In grasslands, that small amount of energy is used by the grasses and other plants, or producers. Some animals eat only these plants. Other animals eat both grasses and other plants, and animals, while yet other animals only eat animals. Animals are called consumers. = “Is eaten by” Food Chain Primary Consumer Secondary Consumer Tertiary Consumer Producer Decomposers

4. Role of photosynthesis in converting solar energy to chemical energy. In photosynthesis, solar energy is converted to chemical energy. The chemical energy is stored in the form of glucose (sugar). Carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight are used to produce glucose, oxygen, and water. The chemical equation for this process is: 6CO2 + 12H2O + light → C6H12O6 + 6O2 + 6H2O 6 molecules of carbon dioxide (6CO2) and 12 molecules of water (12H2O) are used in the process, while glucose (C6H12O6), six molecules of oxygen (6O2), and six molecules of water (6H2O) are produced.

5. Carbon Dioxide (6CO2) Water (12H20) Glucose (C6H12O6) Light Oxygen (6O2) Water (6H2O)

6. Explanation of the conversion of chemical energy in food to chemical energy and heat energy in cells via respiration. Carbohydrates, fibre, fats, proteins, organic acids, polyols, and ethanol all release energy during respiration—this is called 'food energy'. When nutrients react with oxygen in the cells of living things energy is released. Cellular respiration is not the process of breathing, Instead it is the process in which an organism obtains its energy. All living organisms perform cellular respiration, whether they are plants or animals. Cells use the process of cellular respiration to release stored energy in food molecules, such as glucose. The process is the same for both plant and animal organisms.