Photosynthesis and

Cellular Respiration
Photosynthesis

 Method of converting sun energy into chemical

energy usable by cells
 Autotrophs: self feeders, organisms capable of
making their own food
– Photoautotrophs: use sun energy e.g. plants
photosynthesis-makes organic compounds (glucose)
from light
– Chemoautotrophs: use chemical energy e.g.
bacteria that use sulfide or methane
chemosynthesis-makes organic compounds from
chemical energy contained in sulfide or methane
Photosynthesis

 Photosynthesis takes place in specialized

structures inside plant cells called chloroplasts
– Light absorbing pigment molecules e.g. chlorophyll
Overall Reaction

 6CO2 + 12 H2O + light

energy → C6H12O6 + 6O2+ 6H2O
 Carbohydrate made is glucose
Cellular Respiration Overview

 Transformation of chemical energy in food into

chemical energy cells can use: ATP
 These reactions proceed the same way in plants
and animals. Process is called cellular
respiration
 Overall Reaction:
– C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O
Cellular Respiration Overview

 Breakdown of glucose begins in the cytoplasm:

the liquid matrix inside the cell
 At this point life diverges into two forms and two
pathways
– Anaerobic cellular respiration (aka fermentation)
– Aerobic cellular respiration
Anaerobic Cellular Respiration

 Some organisms thrive in environments with little or no

oxygen
– Marshes, bogs, gut of animals, sewage treatment ponds
 No oxygen used= ‘an’aerobic
 Results in no more ATP, final steps in these pathways
serve ONLY to regenerate NAD+ so it can return to pick
up more electrons and hydrogens in glycolysis.
 End products such as ethanol and CO2 (single cell fungi
(yeast) in beer/bread) or lactic acid (muscle cells)
Aerobic Cellular Respiration

 Oxygen required=aerobic
 2 more sets of reactions which occur in a
specialized structure within the cell called the
mitochondria
– 1. Kreb’s Cycle
– 2. Electron Transport Chain
Energy Tally

 36 ATP for aerobic vs. 2 ATP for anaerobic

– Glycolysis 2 ATP

– Kreb’s 2 ATP

– Electron Transport 32 ATP

36 ATP
 Anaerobic organisms can’t be too energetic but
are important for global recycling of carbon