Cellular Respiration: Releasing Energy By Breaking Down Glucose

As we have learned, food producers, such as the green colored

algae seen here, make oxygen as well as glucose. Oxygen is

extremely important to living things: but did you ever wonder

why? The reason is that nearly all organisms, even ocean dwellers

like these, must have oxygen to break down the chemical bonds of

glucose to release its stored energy. The process by which this

happens is called cellular respiration and its chemical reaction is

the exact opposite of the reaction for photosynthesis because the

products of photosynthesis are the reactants for cellular respiration.

The equation shows that when glucose reacts with oxygen the

sugar is broken down into carbon dioxide and water and energy is

released. Inside of living cells the energy released from glucose

ends up being transferred to another chemical compound called

Adenosine Triphosphate, or ATP, and it is ATP that is actually

used whenever a cell needs immediate energy to power a life

process.

Video Clip QuestionsAnswer using your OWN word choice!

1.) Why is O2 important to all living things?

2.) Using the formulas, show how photosynthesis and cellular respiration are related.

Photosynthesis:6CO2 + 6H2O C6H12O6 + 6O2

Cellular Respiration:6O2 + C6H12O6 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy

3.) Explain why all living things require ATP.