Grade 8

NATURAL SCIENCE:
PHOTOSYNTHESIS & RESPIRATION
 THE NEED FOR ENERGY

 No living thing can exist without energy.

 The Sun is the main source of energy on Earth. Without the Sun, all life on Earth will die.
 Living organisms need food because energy is stored in food.
 Plants depend on the energy from the Sun to make food (They are called Producers).
 Animals cannot use the energy from the Sun directly. Neither can they produce their own food.
They rely on the plants for food and energy.
 The energy in an ecosystem is linked to food.
 Energy is measured in joules (J) or kilojoules (kJ).
 PHOTOSYNTHESIS
 Photosynthesis is the process whereby green plants use the light (radiant) energy from the
Sun and carbon dioxide from the air to produce food in the form of glucose as well as
oxygen. (“Photo” means light and “Synthesis” means to make)
 Activity 1:

A. What is the main source of energy on Earth?

B. Why are animals' dependent on plants for energy?

C. What is the function of chlorophyll in a plant?

D. What is necessary for the process of photosynthesis?

E. What gases are a part of the photosynthesis process?

F. What is the food called that the plant produces?

 HOW FOOD IS STORED IN A PLANT
◦ During photosynthesis a plant produces glucose in its leaves.
◦ Glucose is a sugar and the simplest form of food.
◦ The glucose is transferred to other parts of the plant for storage.
◦ The plant changes the glucose to starch and cellulose so that it can be stored.
◦ Plants store the starch in their roots, stems, leaves, fruit and seeds.
◦ Cellulose is part of the walls of cells and provides plants with support. This is the reason why trees
can grow so tall.
◦ Sucrose consists of two glucose molecules that are bonded together and are transported from one
part of the plant to another.
◦ The sugar and starch in plants are food for humans and animals.
◦ Plants also need food to live and use the food they produce.
 THE PROCESS OF RESPIRATION
◦ All living organisms require energy to survive.
◦ Living organisms obtain energy from the food that is stored in plants.
◦ The body of a living organism releases the energy that is trapped in the food.
◦ Respiration is the process where energy is released in the body of a living organism by breaking down
the eaten food into simpler materials in the presence of oxygen.
◦ During respiration the sugars, such as glucose, are broken down to release energy.
◦ Oxygen is needed for respiration.
◦ Carbon dioxide and water are formed during respiration.
◦ Glucose (C6H12O6) + oxygen gas (O2) -> Energy + carbon dioxide (CO2) + water (H2O)
◦ Respiration occurs in every cell of a living organism.