Certainly! The chemical equation for cellular respiration is \( \text{C}6\text{H}{12}\text{O}_6 + 6 \text{O}_2 \rightarrow 6 \text{CO}_2 + 6 \text{H}_2\text{O} \), which shows that one molecule of glucose (\( \text{C}6\text{H}{12}\text{O}_6 \)) and six molecules of oxygen (\( \text{O}_2 \)) are converted into six molecules of carbon dioxide (\( \text{CO}_2 \)) and six molecules of water (\( \text{H}_2\text{O} \)), cycling carbon (6 carbon atoms) and oxygen (12 oxygen atoms) back to the environment, thus illustrating how plants contribute to the cycling of matter in ecosystems.
In one or two sentences, explain how the chemical equation for cellular respiration shows that plants cycle matter. Include the numbers of molecules and atoms involved to support your explanation.
can you help me with this im confused
3 answers
I apologize for any confusion. The equation I provided is the correct representation of cellular respiration. Here it is explained simply:
The cellular respiration equation can be summarized as follows:
- Reactants: One molecule of glucose (\(C_6H_{12}O_6\)) and six molecules of oxygen (\(6 O_2\)).
- Products: Six molecules of carbon dioxide (\(6 CO_2\)) and six molecules of water (\(6 H_2O\)).
This means that during cellular respiration, 6 carbon atoms from glucose and 12 oxygen atoms (from both glucose and oxygen molecules) are transformed into 6 carbon dioxide molecules (which release carbon back to the atmosphere) and 6 water molecules. This cycle shows how plants absorb carbon during photosynthesis and release it during respiration, thus cycling matter in the ecosystem.
In summary, the equation shows how glucose and oxygen are broken down into carbon dioxide and water, demonstrating the movement and transformation of matter within plants and the environment.