In one or two sentences explain how the chemical equation for photosynthesis shows that plants cycle matter. Include the number of molecules and atoms involved to support your explanation?
1 answer
The chemical equation for photosynthesis, 6CO2 + 6H2O -> C6H12O6 + 6O2, shows that plants cycle matter by taking in 6 molecules of carbon dioxide (CO2) and 6 molecules of water (H2O) to produce one molecule of glucose (C6H12O6) and release 6 molecules of oxygen (O2) as a byproduct. This demonstrates how plants convert and recycle molecules of carbon and oxygen within their ecosystem.