The reason for the mass of that pile of leaves decay according to the laws of thermodynamics would be composting which is a natural way by which microorganisms break down organic material as a finished compost. The material for known as humus is very rich in nutrients and is used as a natural fertilizer. In aerobic respiration, cells oxidize organic compounds, obtaining the energy from the chemicals bonds which can later be converted to ATP. Then we have aerobic bacteria which is one of the most important organism in the composting process, breaking down organic material through aerobic respiration. In this case with leaves they are made up of cellulose which is made of glucose molecules.The vast majority of it will be converted into gases that are ventilated throughout the air. Some of the gases you would probably find would be from the compost pile which includes carbon dioxide and water. (Freudenrich , 2001) (Raven, Johnson, Mason, Losos, & Singer, 2013) B) What happens to the energy contained in those leaves? (hint: consider that leaves are mostly cellulose, which is a polymer of D-glucose, and composting is done by microorganism) The energy contained in those leaves start off with the First Law of Thermodynamics mentions that energy can’t be created or destroyed. It can though only be converted between different forms. Some of the energy will be used to perform the necessary work needed by the decomposers to the power the reactions that’s keeping them living and
Photosynthesis is essential for a plant to survive. In order to perform photosynthesis, carbon dioxide is needed and is the most important component in the creation of matter. There are two other factors that go into photosynthesis, which are solar energy and water. Both are equally important in order to perform photosynthesis, but they don’t create the majority of the matter in a plant. The carbon dioxide is taken from the atmosphere which has a high concentration of carbon. “During the spring when plants start growing again, concentration drops” (Riebeeck p.5). Plants absorb the carbon dioxide and keep it, in order to grow. Once the carbon dioxide is fixated, glucose is produced and used in the process of cellular respiration.
Photosynthesis occurs each time the sun’s light reaches the lives of a plant. The chemical ingrediants for photosynthesis are carbon dioxide (CO2), a gas that passes from the air into a plant via tiny pores, and water (H20), which absorbed from the soil by the plant’s roots. Inside leaf cells, tiny structures called chloroplasts use light energy to rearrange the atoms of the ingrediants to produce sugars, most importantly glucose (C6H12O6) and other organic molecules. Chlorophyll gives the plant its green color (Simon, 02/2012, pp. 92-93). Chemical reactions transfers the sun’s light energy into the chemical bonds that hold energy-carrying molecules. The most common are
How does photosynthesis model the Law of Conservation of Matter and the Law of Conservation of Energy ?
To maintain life, organisms must be able to convert energy from one form to another. For example, in the process of photosynthesis, algae, plants, and photosynthetic prokaryotes use the energy from sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water to glucose and oxygen (a waste product).
All plants photosynthesize to produce glucose, which is stored chemical energy as the plants food can be converted into energy through respiration for life processes. The rate of photosynthesis has three main limiting factors – carbon dioxide concentration, light intensity
Energy is recycled through the breakdown and return of nutrients back into the soil. This process occurs in a number of ways including the return of nitrogen into the air.
Plants capture light energy and transform it into chemical energy. This chemical energy is transferred from plants to animals via the food chains.
To began, composting would not only reduce the amount of food in landfills, it would also reduce methane gas. Methane in landfills is produced because of lack of oxygen that reaches the decomposing waste. But when composting is done correctly, methane production is much smaller. In order to correctly compost, food scraps must be turned on a semi-regular basis as well as be lightly watered and the food waste (an organic material) must be mixed with a carbon-based material (paper or wood chips) in order for it to
Photosynthesis occurs in all green plants and is the beginning of nearly all food chains therefore a source of life to all living organisms. It is the process where plants transform light energy from the sun into chemical energy. By using light energy trapped by chlorophyll (light absorbing pigment), plants combine carbon dioxide and water to form glucose and oxygen.
Evidence that proves Conservation of Energy is, “energy from food can be turned into energy to play.” (http://www.energykids.eu/energy-transform n.d). This means that the energy that food has, becomes energy to run around when the food is swallowed. Also, the energy that the sun gives to the grass, transforms it into chemical energy, than an animal consumes the grass and takes the energy from the grass to run. (http://www.energykids.eu/energy-transform n.d) One piece of evidence for Conservation of Matter is the experiment using the seltzer tablets, water, and a water bottle with a cap. The matter would stay the same because it’s a closed system. (Activity 12.2- Does Mass Change When Seltzer Tablets React?) This connects to photosynthesis because
In his new position, Maple introduced his new computerized Charts of the Future. For the first time, precinct commanders were held accountable for crimes in their area (Dussault, 1999). And for the first time that anyone could remember, crime in New York City began to decline.
For all living organisms including plants, respiration is the process of converting chemical energy into a usable form of energy (Biol 171L Lab 7). Even if an organism does not have an energy source, they will keep respiring. For autotrophic plants, the process of obtaining energy is called photosynthesis. It harvests solar energy, carbon dioxide, and water to form a usable form of energy (Tanaka 2009). The factors that go into this process includes the pigment the plant possesses, and the intensity, wavelength, and direction of the light. Plants that contain the pigment chlorophyll-a are the ones we see as the leaves of common trees, or grass.
Photosynthesis is a huge concept to learn and understand in the field of biology. Plants have their own special way of using the ATP they produce. Photosynthesis is a process where plants harness the sunlight they receive and they produce carbohydrates, as well as oxygen for living things and other plants. Now the sunlight ultimately powers the process of
Without photosynthesis we would not be able to receive energy. We should be more appreciate of plants, without them we would not survive. This paper will explain the basic components require for photosynthesis, the role of chlorophyll, how energy is transferred, and photosystems I and II and the most precious product results of photosynthesis.
Humans depend on plants in numerous ways. One reason we depend on plants is for consumption. Plants have the unique ability of producing their own food through a process called photosynthesis. In this process, plants are able to produce macromolecules such as carbohydrates that cannot be produced in animals or humans. In humans, the only to gain these macromolecules is to consume plant matter, or consume plant-eating animals (herbivores).