Understanding:
• Photosynthesis is the production of carbon compounds in cells using light energy
Photosynthesis is the process by which cells synthesise organic compounds (e.g. glucose) from inorganic molecules (CO2 and H2O) in the presence of sunlight
This process requires a photosynthetic pigment (chlorophyll) and can only occur in certain organisms (plants, certain bacteria)
Photosynthesis Equation
Photosynthetic organisms use the light energy from the sun to create chemical energy (ATP)
- This chemical energy can either be used directly by the organism or used to synthesise organic compounds (e.g. glucose)
Animals then consume these organic compounds as food and release the stored energy via cell respiration
- Photosynthesis (anabolic synthesis of organic compounds) is essentially the reverse of cell respiration (catabolic breakdown)
Relationship between Photosynthesis and Cell Respiration
