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 involed to support ur explanation

1 answer

The chemical equation for cellular respiration, \( C_6H_{12}O_6 + 6O_2 \rightarrow 6CO_2 + 6H_2O \), demonstrates that plants cycle matter by showing that one glucose molecule (C6H12O6) and six oxygen molecules (O2) produce six carbon dioxide molecules (CO2) and six water molecules (H2O), illustrating the conversion of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, with a total of 24 atoms involved in the transformation. This process highlights how plants not only use carbon from the atmosphere but also recycle oxygen and hydrogen back into the ecosystem.