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Ch. 7 Photosynthesis: Using Light to Make Food
Taylor - Campbell Biology: Concepts & Connections 10th Edition
Taylor, Simon, Dickey, Hogan10th EditionCampbell Biology: Concepts & ConnectionsISBN: 9780136538783Not the one you use?Change textbook
All textbooksTaylor, Simon, Dickey, Hogan 10th EditionCh. 7 Photosynthesis: Using Light to Make FoodProblem 12
Chapter 7, Problem 12

What do plants do with the sugar they produce in photosynthesis?

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1
Understand that photosynthesis is a process where plants convert light energy into chemical energy stored in glucose (a type of sugar).
Recognize that the glucose produced during photosynthesis serves as a primary energy source for the plant.
Learn that plants use some of the glucose directly to generate energy through cellular respiration, which powers all their metabolic activities.
Acknowledge that glucose not immediately used for energy can be stored as starch in various parts of the plant such as roots, stems, and leaves for later use.
Explore how plants also use glucose as a building block to synthesize other important biological molecules such as cellulose, which is crucial for cell wall construction and overall structural support.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is the biochemical process by which green plants, algae, and some bacteria convert light energy into chemical energy. During this process, plants use sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to produce glucose (sugar) and oxygen. The overall reaction can be summarized by the equation: 6CO2 + 6H2O + light energy → C6H12O6 + 6O2.
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Energy Storage and Utilization

Plants utilize the glucose produced during photosynthesis as a primary energy source. This sugar can be stored in the form of starch for later use, particularly during periods of low light or dormancy. Additionally, glucose is used in cellular respiration to generate ATP, the energy currency of cells, which powers various metabolic processes.
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Metabolic Pathways

Metabolic pathways are series of chemical reactions occurring within a cell that convert substrates into products. In plants, glucose can be further processed through pathways such as glycolysis and the citric acid cycle, leading to the production of energy, or it can be converted into other organic compounds like cellulose for structural support or sucrose for transport.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

How is photosynthesis similar in C4 plants and CAM plants?

a. In both cases, the light reactions and the Calvin cycle are separated in both time and location.

b. Both types of plants make sugar without the Calvin cycle.

c. In both cases, rubisco is not used to fix carbon initially.

d. Both types of plants make most of their sugar in the dark.

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Textbook Question

To synthesize one glucose molecule, the Calvin cycle uses _________ molecules of CO₂, _________ molecules of ATP, and _________ molecules of NADPH.

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Textbook Question

Compare and describe the roles of CO₂ and H₂O in cellular respiration and photosynthesis.

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Textbook Question
Explain what is meant by saying the light reactions convert solar energy to chemical energy.
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Textbook Question

The following diagram compares the chemiosmotic synthesis of ATP in mitochondria and chloroplasts. Identify the components that are shared by both organelles and indicate which side of the membrane has the higher H+ concentration. Then label on the right the locations within the chloroplast.

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Textbook Question

Continue your comparison of electron transport and chemiosmosis in mitochondria and chloroplasts. In each case:

a. Where do the electrons come from?

b. How do the electrons get their high potential energy?

c. What picks up the electrons at the end of the chain?

d. How is the energy released as electrons are transferred down the electron transport chain used?

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