There is a connection between photosynthesis and cellular respiration. The products from one provide the raw materials for the other. What products of photosynthesis are starting materials for cellular respiration?
A. glucose and oxygen
B. heat energy and ATP
C. carbon dioxide and water
D. light energy and chlorophyll
The correct answer is C. carbon dioxide and water.
To understand why carbon dioxide and water are the starting materials for cellular respiration, let's first look at the process of photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, plants use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to produce glucose and oxygen. The chlorophyll in plant cells captures light energy, which is converted into chemical energy in the form of glucose.
Now, moving on to cellular respiration, which occurs in all living cells, including plant cells. Cellular respiration is the process by which cells break down glucose and other organic molecules to release energy in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate). The overall equation for cellular respiration is:
glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water + ATP
As you can see, the starting materials for cellular respiration are glucose and oxygen. Glucose is obtained from the products of photosynthesis, while oxygen is the byproduct of photosynthesis.
Therefore, the correct answer is A. glucose and oxygen are the products of photosynthesis that serve as the starting materials for cellular respiration.