Download Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis
What it is
All organisms need energy to survive (and grow).
We get that energy from eating food.
A producer makes their food through photosynthesis
Photo means “Light” and synthesis means “to put together”
What do plants need to go through photosynthesis?
1. Water
2. Carbon Dioxide
3. Light
Water
Plants absorb water through their
roots
The formula for water is
H2O
Carbon Dioxide
Plants absorb carbon dioxide
(CO2) through their leaves.
Leaves have tiny openings called
Stomata (means “little mouths”)
that allow the carbon dioxide and
other gases to enter and exit the
plant
Stomata
Light
Plants use the energy of light using
chlorophyll C55H72O5N4Mg
Chlorophyll is the pigment that
makes leaves green
Fun Fact!
Chlorophyll mostly absorbs blue and red wavelengths from sunlight. Therefore, it reflects the
middle part of this visible spectrum, the green wavelengths. This is why plants look green to
us. The color of a pigment is the wavelength of light that is reflected, or the wavelength that is
not absorbed.
What happens when you put it all together
When you add all of the ingredients
along with sunlight, the plant
converts the water and carbon
dioxide into 2 things:
1. Glucose (a type of
carbohydrate/ sugar)
2. Oxygen
Converting molecules
The 6 molecules of water are added with the 6 molecules of carbon dioxide
Light provides the energy to convert them
They rearrange and become glucose and oxygen
No new atoms are added or taken away
Clay Models
Blue - Oxygen atoms
Grey - Carbon atoms
Orange - Hydrogen
Create 6 water (H2O) molecules
Create 6 carbon dioxide (CO2) molecules
Roll the clay into spheres and use the toothpicks to connect them
DO NOT MIX THE COLORS!!!
Do the math
Let’s count how many of each atom we have created
How many oxygen atoms?
How many hydrogen atoms?
How many carbon atoms?
Now, on your own, “convert” your molecules
Now take the same atoms and sticks and change them from 6
and 6
carbon dioxide molecules to 1
water molecules
glucose molecule and 6
water molecules
(Remember, when we convert these into glucose and oxygen molecules, we will not
add or take away any atoms)
Congratulations
Like a producer, you just converted water and carbon dioxide into glucose (food for
yourself) and oxygen (which you will release into the atmosphere for animals to
breathe)
Thanks for helping the planet!
Energy Pyramid
Now we know that energy begins with photosynthesis
A lot of the energy that comes down from the sun is lost
The producer only ends up getting about 10% of that energy
Then, the primary consumer (the organism that eats that producer) only gets 10% of
that energy! And so on….
By the time we get to the decomposer, there is very little energy left!
Add the three diagrams on my DP to your weebly under “Ecosystems”
The buttons are called “Photosynthesis Pic 1”, “Photosynthesis Pic 2” and “Energy
Pyramid”