Question

CONTEXT
All living organisms must harvest energy from their environment to survive. Plants—but also algae and even some bacteria—are able to convert light energy into chemical energy, through a process known as photosynthesis.

In plants, photosynthesis occurs in specialized organelles called chloroplasts. During photosynthesis, light energy drives the conversion of water (H2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) to carbohydrates including glucose (C6H12O6). Glucose is the main building block of a plant's body, including the wood, leaves, and flowers. Glucose is also used as a source of chemical energy to carry out many other functions. Oxygen (O2)—that we breathe—is released as a by-product of this process.

Many organisms, like us, are not able to produce glucose by photosynthesis. Instead, they get their glucose from other organisms they eat and from the process of making glucose from breakdown products (gluconeogenesis).

Both plant and animal cells make use of a process called cellular respiration to access the energy stored in glucose and convert it into chemical energy.

Cellular respiration occurs in specialized organelles called mitochondria (as well as the cytoplasm). During cellular respiration, fuel molecules such as carbohydrates are broken down releasing energy that is stored in a molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is used by the cell as an energy source to power many of its essential functions. Carbon dioxide and water are created as by-products during cellular respiration while oxygen and carbohydrates are consumed (Figure 1).

Word Bank: Photosynthesis, cellular respiration, oxygen, chloroplast, sunlight, mitochondria, water, carbon dioxide, glucose.

Using the word bank fill in the table below with the correct words to complete this sentence: Photosynthesis, which occurs in (a), is the process of using (b) to convert (c) and (d) into (e) and (f). Cellular respiration, which occurs in the (g), is the process of producing (h) by converting (i) and (j) into (k) and (l).

Answer 1

(a) chloroplast
(b) sunlight
(c) water
(d) carbon dioxide
(e) glucose
(f) oxygen

(g) mitochondria
(h) ATP (chemical energy)
(i) glucose
(j) oxygen
(k) carbon dioxide
(l) water