What is the relationship between photosynthesis and cellular respiration?

Question

Eli Ayoub · Accepted Answer

Photosynthesis makes the glucose that cellular respiration uses to make ATP.

Plants are autotrophs , meaning that they make their own food from inorganic substances and sunlight = photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis :
- #color(red)"Input"#: water, #CO_2# and sunlight
- #color(green)"Output"#: glucose and #O_2#.

This glucose is food for the plant, but is not yet usable energy. Cells of plants use mainly the molecule ATP (adenosine triphosphate) as energy.

Cellular respiration:
- #color(red)"Input"#: glucose and #O_2#
- #color(green)"Output"#: #CO_2#, water and ATP (energy).

So you can see that (part of) the output of photosynthesis is the input of cellular respiration and vice versa (see image). Note that they are still separate processes that are not physically linked.

Cooper Alexander · Answer

undefined Both processes are interdependent, with the products of one acting as the reactants for the other. Photosynthesis uses sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to produce glucose and oxygen; cellular respiration breaks down glucose to produce energy (ATP) and releases carbon dioxide and water as byproducts.

Benjamin Alvin · Answer

undefined The relationship between photosynthesis and cellular respiration is that they are complementary processes that occur in living organisms. Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants, algae, and some bacteria convert light energy into chemical energy in the form of glucose, while cellular respiration is the process by which cells break down glucose and other organic molecules to release energy for cellular activities. Photosynthesis produces oxygen as a byproduct, which is used in cellular respiration, while cellular respiration produces carbon dioxide, which is used in photosynthesis. Overall, photosynthesis and cellular respiration are interconnected processes that enable the flow of energy and matter through ecosystems.