Photosynthesis/Respiration Study Guide
● Chloroplast – the organelle where photosynthesis occurs; contains chlorophyll; only found in plants!
● Stomata – holes in the leaf through which carbon dioxide and oxygen enter and exit
● Xylem –transports water through the leaf
● Phloem –transports sugar/food through the leaf
● Autotroph – an organism that makes its own food, such as plants
● Cellular respiration – breaks down food molecules into energy; NOT the same as breathing; completed
by ALL organisms
● Glucose (sugar) – Produced by plants during photosynthesis; written as C6H12O6
● Lactic acid – Builds up after exercise when the cells do not have enough oxygen
● Guard cells – the pair of cells that surround the stomata
● Epidermis – the outer protective layer of the leaf
● Pigments – Light absorbing molecules that capture the sun’s energy
● ATP (adenosine triphosphate) – Used to store and release energy
● Chlorophyll – The green pigment found in the chloroplasts of plants, algae, and bacteria
● Photosynthesis – Process used by plants to make their own food
● Mitochondria – The organelle where the majority of cellular respiration takes place
● Fermentation – The breakdown of sugars to make ATP in the absence of oxygen
Be able to label this leaf cross section!
Chemical Equation for
Photosynthesis
6CO2 + 6H2O

C6H12O6 + 6O2
(sunlight)
Raw materials – Carbon dioxide, water
Catalyst – Sunlight
Products – Glucose (sugar), oxygen
***Takes place in the chloroplasts
Chemical Equation for Respiration
C6H12O6 + 6O2  6CO2 + 6H2O + ATP (energy)
Raw materials - Glucose (sugar), oxygen
Products – Carbon dioxide, water, ATP (energy)
***Takes place in the mitochondria
PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND RESPIRATION ARE OPPOSITES!