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Photosynthesis and Cell Respiration Compare/Contrast By Sherrie Khazani P. 7-8 There are many differences and similarities between photosynthesis and cellular respiration. First of all, the products and reactants of photosynthesis are different from that of cellular respiration. The products are carbon dioxide and water, and the reactants are glucose and oxygen. The equation for photosynthesis is 6 CO2 + 6H2O. The location that photosynthesis takes place in is the chloroplast, only in plant, or autotrophic cells. The stoma is a dense area in the choloroplast, and it is a site of conversion of carbon dioxide to sugars. Photosynthesis is important to life because it takes light energy and turns it into energy that is usable by plants. The two stages of photosynthesis are the light dependent reactions and the Calvin Cycle. The light reactions occur in the thylakoids stacks. The Calvin Cycle occur in the stoma. The forms of energy change in the two stages because in light dependent reactions, the sunlight is converted into chemical energy in the form of ATP. The chlorophyll then absorbs the light, and finally oxygen is released through the stomata. Dark reactions, or the Calvin Cycle is when carbon dioxide is changed into sugar using ATP. The carbon is combined with 5 carbon sugar, and the 6 carbon sugar is broken down into 2 molecules which are glucose and fructose. These two molecules combined make sugar. The reactants of cellular respiration are glucose and oxygen. The reactants are carbon dioxide and water. For cellular respiration, the equation is CO 12 O6+6O2. Depending on the metabolic process, it can occur in different parts of the cell. For example, the Krebs Cycle occurs in the mitochondria. Glycolysis occurs in the cytosol, or the cytoplasm. This process is important to life because it makes energy for living organisms, like heterotrophs. It’s the process that releases the chemical energy stored in food and uses it for other energy. It is one of the key ways that cells gain useful energy. The point of cellular respiration is for it to make electrons into organic compounds. This is how any organism gains its energy, by cellular respiration, and this is one of the most vital processes. The stages in aerobic respiration include glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and finally electron transportation. The forms of energy change in these stages because first, glucose is oxidized and then broken down into pyruvic acid. As the molecules move on to the cycles, more energy is produced. These two process are not only important to the community, they are important to the world. The big idea is that they both create energy in some way for organisms to use, and reuse. Since this energy is reusable, it is a never ending cycle, as long as we have the organisms to make that possible. Another important idea is that they both have processes that the molecules go through in order to achieve making the energy needed. Both occur within the cells, and need organic molecules for their reactants, so they can make new products. Both cell respiration and photosynthesis use some kind of an energy, and make energy; however, photosynthesis uses heat and light energy, and cellular respiration uses chemical energy. We have to be aware that human activities can affect the growth of the organisms necessary to make cell respiration and photosynthesis possible, because without these processes, humans could not survive.