Download HYDROTHERMAL VENTS AND CHEMOSYNTHESIS:

Biology
Life without Oxygen
Name: _____________ Period: ___ Date:________
Drill:
Add the listed characteristics to the Venn diagram to compare
photosynthesis and cell respiration.

O2
H2O
C6H12O6

Plant cells

Animal cells

Capturing Energy

Releasing Energy

Light Energy

Energy stored as ATP

Chloroplast

Mitochondria
CO2
Pause here!
Biology
Life without Oxygen
Name: _____________ Period: ___ Date:________
Hydrothermal Vents and Chemosynthesis: A Habitat in the Dark
Hydrothermal vents are deep, dark
locations on the sea floor which release
high temperature fluids and chemicals into
the ocean water above. They are usually
found in areas of volcanic activity. Even
though we might consider this to be a harsh
environment, hydrothermal vents are
abundant with life. In fact, more than 300
species live around the vents and are
unique to this type of environment. These
Tubeworms in a Hydrothermal Vent
creatures include tubeworms, fish, crabs,
shrimp, clams, and chemosynthetic
bacteria. These organisms have learned to survive in the complete
darkness, the extremely hot vent water and the tremendous water pressure.
Hydrothermal vents are so deep
that light is unable to penetrate.
Without light, plants are unable to
perform the process of photosynthesis.
Therefore, plants are unable to form the
basis of the food chain as they do where
light is available. Organisms in
hydrothermal vents must acquire energy
in another way. Animals at these depths
depend on bacteria that are able to
convert chemicals such as sulfur found in
the vent's fluids into energy through the
Crabs, Worms and Mussels in a
process of chemosynthesis. Larger
Hydrothermal Vent
animals then eat the chemosynthetic
bacteria, or eat the animals that eat the bacteria. In other vent creatures,
the chemosynthetic bacteria live inside their bodies. Some organisms, such
as the tubeworms, that live around the vents do not have a mouth or even a
digestive tract as we do. The bacteria actually live inside their bodies and
provide nutrients directly to the organisms' tissues.
Adapted From: http://www.onr.navy.mil/focus/ocean/habitats/vents2.htm
Biology
Life without Oxygen
Name: _____________ Period: ___ Date:________
Analysis
1. What are the characteristics of a hydrothermal vent environment?
2. What type of organisms live in hydrothermal vents?
3. What type of organism normally forms the basis of all food chains?
4. Why are these organisms unable to survive in hydrothermal vents?
5. What do organisms in hydrothermal vents depend upon for energy?
6. What is chemosynthesis?
Biology
Life without Oxygen
Name: _____________ Period: ___ Date:________
PHOTOSYNTHESIS vs. CHEMOSYNTHESIS
The prefix photo means light.
The prefix chemo means chemicals.
The word synthesis means to make.
1. Using the information above write a one sentence definition of
photosynthesis.
2. Using the information above write a one sentence definition of
chemosynthesis.
Examine the chemical equations for photosynthesis and
chemosynthesis and follow the directions below.
Photosynthesis:
CO2 + H2O + Light  C6H12O6 + O2
____________________________________________________________
Chemosynthesis:
CO2 + H2O + H2S

C6H12O6 + H2SO4
_____________________________________________________________
1. Write the reactants and products of each equation in words on the lines
above.
(Hint: H2S = hydrogen sulfide and S = sulfur)
2. If the reactants and/or products are the same in each equations, cross
them out. (This will help you identify how the equations differ!)
3. Record the differing products and reactants in the table below.
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
DIFFERING
REACTANTS
DIFFERING
PRODUCTS
CHEMOSYNTHESIS
Biology
Life
without
Don’t flip
over
yourOxygen
sheet!
Name: _____________ Period: ___ Date:________
Chemosynthesis
Photosynthesis
Cell Respiration
-Capture Energy
-Release Energy
-Chloroplast
-Mitochondria
-Plants
-Animals
-O2
-H20
-C6H12O6
-CO2
-H2SO4
-H2S
-Energy
-Light Energy
-ATP Energy
-Chemical Energy
-Deep Sea Vents
-Normal Plants in the dark