How does the chemical equation for cellular respiration show that plants recycle matter? Include number of each type of molecule/atom
The chemical equation for cellular respiration in plants is:
C6H12O6 (glucose) + 6O2 (oxygen) -> 6CO2 (carbon dioxide) + 6H2O (water) + ATP (energy)
In this equation, we can see that glucose (C6H12O6) is broken down into carbon dioxide (6CO2), water (6H2O), and energy in the form of ATP. This process releases energy that the plant can use for various cellular functions.
By examining the number of atoms of each element involved in the equation, we can see how plants recycle matter. In the initial reactants, we have 6 carbon atoms, 12 hydrogen atoms, and 6 oxygen atoms in glucose, and 12 oxygen atoms in oxygen. In the products, we have 6 carbon atoms, 12 hydrogen atoms, and 12 oxygen atoms in carbon dioxide, and 12 hydrogen atoms and 6 oxygen atoms in water.
As we can see, the same elements (carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen) are present in both the reactants and products of cellular respiration, which demonstrates how plants recycle matter. The carbon atoms from glucose are converted into carbon dioxide, which can then be used by other plants in photosynthesis to produce more glucose. Similarly, the hydrogen and oxygen atoms in water are recycled back into other cellular processes within the plant. This cyclic process of breaking down glucose and creating carbon dioxide and water shows how matter is continually recycled in the ecosystem through cellular respiration in plants.