Describe how photosynthesis is cyclical with respiration?

Question

How does one fuel the other and can one be active without the other?

Answer 1

Well, plants use the energy of sunlight to absorb CO2 and water and produce starch, sugars, cellulose and oxygen. Animals like us absorb oxygen and produce CO2 by respiration. So one process (photosynthesis) fuels the other (respiration) and vice versa. One can't work without the other.

Answer 2

During photosynthesis, water is taken up from the roots and sent to the photosynthetic parts of leaves. Here, water molecules are split and the electrons from these molecules are used to power up a reaction where Carbon dioxide is reduced. Carbon dioxide is eventually broken down (reduced) and turned into a sugar. This reaction releases Oxygen as a by-product.

This sugar created in photosynthesis is then used up in respiration to create energy for the plant to function.

So, photosynthesis uses light energy to make sugar, and then this is turned into chemical energy the plant can use.

In the event that carbon dioxide is not available in the environment, then the plant can not perform photosynthesis, but can go on with respiration. This would, however, be detrimental to the plant.

Answer 3

The overall chemical equation for photosynthesis is:
6 CO2 + 6 H2O + photons → C6H12O6 + 6 O2

While the overall chemical equation for cellular respiration is:
C6H12O6 + 6 O2 → 6 CO2 + 6 H2O + energy

As you can see from the chemical equations, the two processes are basically the opposites of each other. However, in general, they do not act in a cycle where one process fuels the other (at least within an organism). For example, animals do not perform photosynthesis but they do perform cellular respiration. So, one process can be active without the other.

Answer 4

basically photosynthesis creates sugar and oxygen from carbon dioxide, water and sunlight (converted to NADPH and ATP in the light cycle). respiration creates ATP, carbon dioxide and water from sugar and oxygen. some materials are continuously circulated between photosynthesis and respiration such as sugar, oxygen, carbon dioxide and water. however the overall input of energy comes from sunlight and leaves as metabolic heat from the ATP derived from sugar during respiration