The chemical equation for cellular respiration shows that plants cycle matter by taking in 6 molecules of carbon dioxide and 6 molecules of water, and through a series of chemical reactions, producing 1 molecule of glucose, 6 molecules of oxygen, and 6 molecules of water, thereby releasing oxygen back into the atmosphere.

The overall chemical equation for cellular respiration in plants is:

6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2 + 6H2O

This equation represents the process of photosynthesis in which plants take in carbon dioxide and water, and with the help of sunlight and chlorophyll, convert them into glucose and oxygen. Oxygen is then released back into the atmosphere as a byproduct of this process.