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Course: Middle school biology > Unit 5
Lesson 1: Photosynthesis in ecosystemsPhotosynthesis in ecosystems
Google ClassroomReview your understanding of photosynthesis in ecosystems in this free article aligned to NGSS standards.
Key points:
- Energy enters an ecosystem when light energy from the sun is transformed into chemical energy. This happens during photosynthesis.
- Photosynthesis is carried out by photosynthetic organisms.
- Photosynthesis drives the movement of matter, or atoms, between organisms and the environment.
- Photosynthetic organisms take in and use carbon dioxide and water from the air and soil.
- Photosynthetic organisms release oxygen into the air. Organisms throughout the ecosystem use this oxygen to breathe.
- Photosynthetic organisms produce sugars, which become part of the organism’s biomass. When the photosynthetic organism is eaten, its biomass provides matter and energy to the organism that eats it.
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Does anyone know the great feeling of sitting down on the couch in front of the TV after doing a daily dose of khan academy?(33 votes)
So how do photosynthesis break down things? You know, for CO2 to become separated, there needs to be a separation.(18 votes)
Right. Sugar has carbon (C) in its structure, so by reacting CO2 with H2O (carbon dioxide with water), they create sugar and release oxygen (O2) as a by-product.(14 votes)
what is the word biomass(5 votes)
Mass that is made of cells-biomass, so like a burger patty is technically biomass(15 votes)
What does it mean by "Photosynthesis drives the movement of matter, or atoms, between organisms and the environment."
I didn't understand(4 votes)
When we say that photosynthesis drives the movement of matter, we can interpret that this process is the key factor for the matter/atoms to move between organisms. For instance: If it wasn't for photosynthesis, plants wouldn't have sugar to grow, then herbivores wouldn't have anything to eat, and so it goes on to the food chain.
In short words, it's thanks to photosynthesis that matter and energy in the form of sugars or other compounds can "travel" between various organisms (animals, plants, algae, fungus, etc) throughout the environment.(5 votes)
- what do it mean when it says it eats the soil(5 votes)
My guy plants don't eat soil, they rely on water and the sun(6 votes)
For your information:
Heterotrophs are organisms that eat other organisms to survive. E.g., humans, cows, lions, etc.
Autotrophs are organisms that make their own food from natural processes like photosynthesis.
I hope this helped you distinguish between Organisms that make their own food and ones that don't.
-Orange Juice Squid(7 votes)
Did you know that more than 50% of the world's oxygen actually comes from the ocean? And not trees?(5 votes)
I did not know that lol(5 votes)
- Photosynthesis drives the movement of matter, or atoms, between organisms and the environment.(6 votes)
is the sun blue?(5 votes)- nah is purple(2 votes)
what's the biggest impact(4 votes)
