Name______________________________

How Do Cells Make & Obtain Energy?

Photosynthesis & Cell

Respiration
All organisms (unicellular and multicellular) need
energy to carry out life functions. In the space
below try to list the 9 life functions:

In order for organisms to get the energy that helps keep them alive,
they need to eat food. The 3 main food groups are proteins, carbohydrates,
and lipids. The food that you eat has a lot of potential energy in it. This
means that the energy is stored. Look at the diagram below. It shows the
amount of energy stored within different types of meals. But this stored
energy isnt very useful to an organism; we need energy that we can use!
In order for the energy to
become useful, we need to
break it down. This is where
digestion comes into play. As
you eat food, your body breaks it
down into smaller and smaller
pieces. Eventually these pieces
will be small enough that they
can diffuse into your cells
through the semipermeable
membrane. Once in the cell,
your mitochondria will work to
release the energy in the food.

A.T.P. stands for adenosine triphosphate, and it is a molecule that stores and
transfers cellular energy. Without this molecule, our cells would stop
functioning and life would cease to exist. Give 2 reasons why the food we
eat needs to be broken down:

Although the mitochondrion releases the ATP, they do not make it. The
synthesis of ATP starts with the process of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis
is a process that captures the energy from the sun to make sugars
(glucose). These sugars store chemical energy as ATP. Organisms that can
accomplish this process are called autotrophs or producers and include
plants, algae and some bacteria. If an animal eats a producer, they have
just eaten the food that will supply them with energy.
Give an example of an organism that relies directly on
photosynthesis:______________________
Give an example of an organism that indirectly relies on photosynthesis:
____________________

What we will proceed to do over the next couple of days is determine

exactly how the process of photosynthesis is accomplished in autotrophs/
producers.

Photosynthesis Facts Project

Science is an ongoing endeavor, with
many people working together to come
to an answer. Many times, it can take
numbers of years and many people
involved before conclusions can be
made.
For this assignment, you will act as a
detective charged with solving the
mystery of how a plant gets energy.
Many scientists & experiments over
many years have added to our pool of
knowledge regarding photosynthesis. On the following page you
will find some clues based on these experiments that you can
use to explain the process of photosynthesis.
Task- Working either alone or with a partner you will piece together
the clues to come up with a description of how a plant gets energy.
Steps:
1. Read each clue. You will notice that the clues are grouped
together. Use the clues in each group to come to a conclusion
about photosynthesis. (each conclusion should build upon
previous clues)
2. Using your conclusions, create a project to display how
photosynthesis occurs. Be sure to providing evidence from
the clues. (Diagram, paper, cartoon, model, video, PowerPoint,
etc.)
Due Date_______________________

Name__________________________________

Grading Checklist
______ Proper conclusions are made based on clues. (3pts)
______ Conclusions are neatly written and displayed on paper
(3pts)
______ Clues & conclusions are creatively displayed on project (3
pts)
______Project displays in-depth understanding of process of
photosynthesis (3pts)
______ Project incorporates knowledge gained through the use of
clues and conclusions based on clues. (3pts)
______ Project is neat, easy to read, proper formatting (3pts)
______ Proper grammar & spelling (3pts)
______ Project is original and creative (3pts)
______ Project is handed in on time (3 pts)
______ Handed in on time (3pts)

____________________ / 30

Clues
-

Conclusions
Animal cells do not have chloroplasts
Animal cells cannot make glucose
(C6H12O6)
Chloroplasts are cellular organelles
found in leaves

All cells need glucose (C6H12O6) to

carry on cellular activity.
Glucose can come to a cell already
made or can be made in some cells.
Glucose can be stored as a starch
molecules in the leaves of plants

The pigment (chlorophyll) is found in

chloroplasts.

The pigment chlorophyll absorbs is

capable of capturing the suns energy
Chlorophyll absorbs light energy and
uses it in chemical reason in the
chloroplasts
Energy is needed for chemical
reactions to occur

Experiments show that light energy is

used to split water into H and O

When water is split, the O diffuses

away, but the electrons from the atom
move to the mitochondria.
In 1771, Priestley proved that plants
give off a gas called oxygen
Experiments in 1941 showed that the
oxygen released from plants comes
from water
In 1779, a scientist found that aquatic
plants produce oxygen in the light but
not in the dark.

Plants cannot live without water and

air.
Air is a combination of many gases,
including CO2 (Carbon Dioxide)
If H is combined with CO2, glucose can
be made
Experiments show that H from water is
later found as part of the C6H12O6
molecule.
Experiments in the 1950s using
radioactive oxygen showed that O2
from the CO2 combines with other
molecules to form C6H12O6
Making glucose does not require light,
but it does require ATP
During the night, plants use ATP to
assembled glucose using (C6H12O6) CO2
and H2O
Leaves from plants grown in the dark
have a lower amount of starch that
leaved from plants grown in light.