Chemosynthesis Notes

Chemosynthesis We have learned that all life on this planet depends on the sun for energy. Well, until the 1980s that was true, until we discovered deep sea thermal

vents at the bottom of the ocean. There are only a few submarines in the world that can travel to these deep

sea vents.

Chemosynthesis At these deep sea thermal vents scientist discovered new species of animals and a new

food chain. At the surface, living things rely on green plants to absorb light energy and make

chemical energy, to start the food chain, which is why we call plants producers. But no light reaches the Deep Sea vents and there are no plants, so what provides the

energy for this food chain.

Chemosynthesis Well, the vents are covered by large (6 ft) tubeworms (seen in this picture) and inside

their cells, there is lots of bacteria. This bacteria is the producer for this food chain and is living symbiotically with the

tubeworm’s cells. The bacteria gets a safe place to live and the tubeworm gets food.

Chemosynthesis Then environment around these tubeworms are rough…. Hot water filled with hydrogen

sulfide shoot out of the ground. The water is around 400 degrees (but not a gas, because of the intense pressure) and hydrogen sulfide is deadly to cells at the surface.

But at these deep sea thermal vents, the bacteria in the tubeworm’s cells uses the hydrogen sulfide as an energy source (like green plants do with sunlight)to create glucose.

Chemosynthesis Formula The following is the formula for chemosynthesis: 6CO2 + 6H2O + 3H2S –> C6H12O6 + 3H2SO4