This week we began studying photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is an endothermic process by which
plants and other organisms (since some animals perform photosynthesis) make glucose sugar so that
they can survive and grow. They take energy from the sun and store it.
Photosynthesis basics
To perform photosynthesis, you need to have sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. For products, you
get glucose sugar and oxygen.
As said before, photosynthesis is an endothermic reaction. This is because the plants trap energy from the sun and store it. The equation above is photosynthesis, the balanced version. You need 6 carbon
dioxide molecules and 6 water molecules to yield 6 oxygen molecules and 1 glucose molecule.
Cellular respiration is the opposite of photosynthesis. It is and exothermic reaction, since endo and
exo are opposites. As you can guess…
... cellular respiration is the same equation as photosynthesis, just backwards.
Photosynthesis is the introduction to our new unit, how organisms depend on each other for survival.
Where do trees get their mass?
Some people wonder where trees get their mass from. Many take wild guesses. Can you see if you
know?
- Soil
- Stardust
- Magic
- God
- Rain
- Sunlight
- Oxygen
- Carbon dioxide
The truth is, trees are mostly made of carbon dioxide, meaning that when you climb a tree to sit in it, you’re sitting on air.
Biotic and Abiotic factors
A biotic factor is a part of an ecosystem that is living. Plants and animals are biotic factors. Abiotic
factors are parts of the ecosystems that are non-living or dead. Ecosystems have both living and
non-living factors.
Biotic factors
|
Abiotic factors
|
Trees
|
Rotting log
|
Insects
|
Rocks
|
Fish/animals
|
Dirt
|
Plankton
|
Sunlight/heat
|
Grass
|
Water
|
Fungi
|
Air/oxygen
|
Bacteria
|
Plastic
|
Plants
|
Animal waste
|
Biotic and abiotic factors affect each other. Water is abiotic, but if there is no water, than the biotic
factors of the ecosystem will struggle to survive. And if biotic factors didn’t die, they wouldn’t be
decomposed and their bodies wouldn’t help the soil. So, whether the ecosystem is dead or alive, we
need everything that is in it.
Food chain
The food chain is also has things that depend on each other.
Another way to write it shows how much energy each level has and proves which is the most energy efficient diet, plants, meat, or omnivore.
Primary consumers are the most energy efficient diet.
Photosynthesis: Planta gain energy through photosynthesis.
Cellular respiration: Plants lose energy through cellular respiration.
Abiotic: Non- living parts of an ecosystem.
Biotic: Living parts of an ecosystem.
S&EP:
SP1 Asking questions
This week I asked lots of questions to myself which I got answered as the lessons went on. Like what is a tree made up of? A tree is mostly air. Asking questions is always smart so that you can get answers that help you understand science more.
XCC
Cause and effect.
Cause and effect is shown here in these lessons. If one factor of an ecosystem vanishes or dies, the
rest of the entire ecosystem will be thrown off of balance. If leopards in a rainforest went extinct, what
they eat will be overpopulated, and what they eat will be underpopulated. We need every part of an
ecosystem for it to work.
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