SC15.ES.2

Science (2015) Grade(s): 09-12 - Environmental Science

Developing and Using Models

Energy and Matter

Students know:

The reactants and products of photosynthesis and cellular respiration, and know the relative nature of these two chemical processes.
Examples of carbon sources and carbon sinks.
Photosynthesis converts light energy to stored chemical energy by converting carbon dioxide and water into sugars (glucose) plus released oxygen.
Sugars formed by photosynthesis are disassembled into chemical elements that recombine in different ways to form different products that are essential for all living things.
The process of cellular respiration is a chemical process in which bonds of food molecules (sugars) and oxygen molecules are broken and energy is released along with the byproducts of carbon dioxide and water.

Students are able to:

Use a model to illustrate the relationship between photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
Identify the components of a model that illustrate carbon cycling through the atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere.
Represent carbon cycling from one sphere to another, specifically indicating where it involves the processes of cellular respiration and photosynthesis.

Students understand that:

The main way that solar energy is captured and stored ion Earth is through photosynthesis.
Carbon is an essential element that takes on various chemical forms as it cycles within and among the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere.
Cellular respiration works with photosynthesis to cycle energy through the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere.