9th Grade Science Biology Photosynthesis

What is the name of the process that plants and other organisms use capture energy from the sun?

Photosynthesis

Why is ATP useful to cells?

It is used to store and release energy to cells

What happens during the process of photosynthesis?

Plants and some other organisms use light energy from the sun to produce food. These plants convert the energy of sunlight into chemical energy stored in the bonds of carbohydrates.

Organisms that make their own food are called?

Autotrophs (ie: plants)

Organisms that make their own food by consuming other living things are called?

Heterotrophs(ie: animals)

What role do pigments play in the process of photosynthesis?

They are light -absorbing molecules that gather the sun's energy

What is a plant's principle pigment?

Chlorophyll

What are the two types of chlorophyll?

a and b

Chlorophyll absorbs light well in what two regions of the visible light spectrum?

blue-violet and red

Why do plants look green?

leaves are filled with chlorophyll, chlorophyll does not absorb the green light of the visible light spectrum so the leaves "reflect" green because it is not "absorbed".

Why wouldn't a plant grow well under green light?

the chlorophyll in the leaves don't absorb the light, or light energy, of the green light and plants depend on that to produce their own food through photosynthesis.

What are the different types of reactants in photosynthesis (also known as the "stages" of photosynthesis)?

light-dependent and light-independent

What are the products of photosynthesis?

oxygen and sugar

How do carotene and xanthophyll function differently from chlorophyll?

Carotene and xanthophyll absorb blue green light while chlorophyll absorbs all other colors of light in the spectrum. Once carotene and xanthophyll have absorbed light, they transfer the light energy to chlorophyll.

What is ATP?

Stores and releases energy. It is created when phosphate group is added to ADP The molecule changes to ATP. The newly created ATP stores even more energy than the ADP molecule It is so energy packed that it can even create visible light through enzymes- like in a firefly.

What is ADP?

A molecule that is better at storing energy than ATP can create ATP when an addition phosphate is added.

Are only animals heterotrophs (get their energy from consuming other living things)?

No, mushrooms are also heterotrophs they consume decomposing organisms. The do not use photosynthesis and there are others. They are not usually green or have leaves.