Differences Between Photosynthesis And Cellular Respiration

Last Updated on November 7, 2021 by QCity Editorial Stuff

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants, algae, and some types of bacteria use the energy from light to produce their food. Cellular respiration is the process by which living organisms release energy stored in their molecular bonds through a variety of chemical reactions inside the cell.

Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are both important in the process of making food for all living beings. They both take place in the chloroplasts and cytoplasm of plant cells.

To carry out photosynthesis, photosystems absorb light from the chloroplasts which contain pigments such as chlorophylls A and B which then excite electrons to form H2O molecules. The light then travels through light-harvesting complexes I-III into an electron transport chain where it is used by

Photosynthesis relies on oxygen to carry out its reactions while cellular respiration does not rely on oxygen for its reactions. Photosynthesis also utilizes water as part of its metabolic pathway while cellular respiration does not require water as a co-factor for any step in its pathway.

Comparison Table Between Photosynthesis And Cellular Respiration

Parameter of comparison	Photosynthesis respiration	Respiration respiration
Compund	Photosynthesis is the process of using the energy from sunlight to create chemical energy stored in organic compounds, mainly sugars.	Cellular respiration is a process that breaks down organic compounds into simpler compounds.
Energy	Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants use the energy from sunlight to produce their own food in the form of sugars and other carbohydrates.	Cellular respiration is a process by which all living organisms release energy in the form of ATP, in order to live and grow.
Conversion	Photosynthesis is the process of converting light energy into chemical energy stored in organic compounds	Cellular respiration is the conversion of food and oxygen to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
Metabolic	Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants use light energy to make food through a process known as photosynthesis	Cellular respiration is the metabolic pathway whereby all living organisms convert organic molecules, e.g., glucose, into carbon dioxide and water.

What Is Photosynthesis?

The process of photosynthesis occurs when light is absorbed by chlorophyll in a plant’s leaves. Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in the leaves of plants that absorbs light in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum. It uses this absorbed energy to make chemical reactions that produce sugar from carbon dioxide and water. The captured solar energy drives these chemical reactions and powers all life on Earth through photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis is a process where a plant or an animal uses the energy from the sun to convert carbon dioxide and water into organic compounds, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and oxygen.

Photosynthetic organisms use light to split water molecules into hydrogen ions ( H+) and hydroxyl ions ( OH-). In turn, they get electrons from these ions using an electron transport chain. The hydrogen ions get reduced to protons while hydroxyl ions

Photosynthesis is vital for life, as it allows organisms to release chemical energy from organic compounds through a chemical reaction known as photosynthesis. This reaction is dependent on certain enzymes present in chloroplasts.

Photosynthesis is the process of chemosynthesis that occurs in photosynthetic organisms that convert the energy from sunlight into chemical form as an alternative to cellular respiration.

What Is Cellular Respiration? 

The cellular respiration process takes place in the mitochondria, which are located within cells that contain lots of water. The chemical reactions that occur in these areas take place because they have a high concentration of enzymes to carry out the reactions.

Exhaling carbon dioxide and inhaling oxygen, cells produce energy by breaking down sugars, fats, and other molecules into adenosine triphosphate (ATP). It is the cellular equivalent of food digestion.

In more simple terms, cellular respiration is the process by which the living cell uses oxygen to break down food molecules into compounds that can be used as a source of energy or substances that can be used as building blocks.

The cells of plants and animals need oxygen to carry out cellular respiration. In plants, this process is called photosynthesis and it releases oxygen as a waste product. For animals, it’s called aerobic respiration, where the cells use oxygen to break down food molecules into compounds they need for their activities such as breathing and movement.

10 Differences Between Photosynthesis And Cellular Respiration

Origin: Photosynthesis is the process that plants and algae use to create their food. They contain chlorophyll that absorbs sunlight and uses it to turn carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates, proteins, and other organic material.

Energy: Cellular respiration is the process of breaking down food molecules in cells to form energy, releasing oxygen in the process. These energy molecules are used by cells for their cell membrane and organelles to function properly.

Respiration: Photosynthesis is a process by which green plants use sunlight to produce energy while cellular respiration is the metabolic process by which organisms obtain their energy.

Food System: Photosynthesis can be defined as the process of green plants using sunlight to produce food, while cellular respiration is the metabolic process by which organisms obtain their food.

Chloroplast: Photosynthesis starts in a chloroplast that contains a thylakoid membrane. Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll pigments that catalyze the light-dependent reactions in photosynthesis by absorbing photons of light for use in electron transport chains.

ATP: Photosynthesis produces sugars while cellular respiration produces ATP. Photosynthesis uses water, carbon dioxide, and light to produce glucose. Cellular respiration uses oxygen and nutrients from the environment to produce ATP.

Asportation: Photosynthesis occurs when plants and other organisms absorb light energy and use it to produce sugar and oxygen. Cellular respiration occurs in our cells when we need the energy to sustain life.

Carbon Dioxide Molecule: Photosynthesis occurs when sunlight hits chlorophyll. A water molecule and carbon dioxide molecule come together and the hydrogen in the water molecule is split into two parts with the electrons from one part going into the oxygen atom, while the protons from another part combine with electrons from two of three nitrogen atoms to form molecular oxygen which ultimately leads to sugar production.

Glucose: Cellular respiration happens when glucose together with oxygen is used by cells. The glucose can be broken down into pyruvic acid, hydrogen, and CO2 which releases energy that our cells can use for various functions like synthesis.

Cellular Respiration: The oxygen produced by photosynthesis is consumed in cellular respiration, which produces carbon dioxide that can be used by plants to build leaves, stems, roots, bark.

Interesting Statistics Or Facts Of Photosynthesis Respiration

1.) It starts with light – photosynthesis begins with solar radiation. This process allows plants to convert carbon dioxide into sugars, which are then used as a source of energy.

2.) Plants use more than half of their habitable terrestrial surface – 43% to be exact!

3.) The process releases oxygen – which makes up 21% of Earth’s atmosphere.

4) Photosynthetic pigments absorb photons from sunlight, which is used to make chemical energy.

5) The process starts when water molecules absorb heat (and CO2) and start to break down to form O and H ions.

6) These ions then combine with hydrogen to form water.

7) CO2 leaves the cell through stomata (tiny pores on leaves).

8) The oxygen produced by the respiratory process will be used by other cells as a source of energy.

9) Photosynthesis takes place in green plants (vegetation) and solar-powered organisms (e.g., algae, plankton).

10) The use of photosynthesis to power chemical reactions was discovered by Joseph Priestley in 1774.

Interesting Statistics Or Facts Of Cellular Respiration

1) Cellular respiration is a process of cell breathing. The lungs are the organs that have the widest range of functions, including gas exchange and gas transport.

2) Cellular respiration is the process by which cells get nutrients from their environment, get rid of waste products into their environment, and get energy from their environment to function. A human body has about 10 trillion cells in it.

3) Cellular respiration is the process of breaking down food molecules to extract energy to power metabolic processes in living things.

4) According to Dr. Kathryn Paterson, cellular respiration is the only mechanism that has existed since the beginning of life on Earth.

5) interesting facts about cellular respiration are that it takes place in all types of organisms including plants, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and even some viruses. It can also take place without oxygen but not as efficiently.

6) Cellular respiration is an important process in the human body. It breaks down glucose and oxygen to produce energy. The following are some interesting facts about cellular respiration.

8) Cellular respiration is the process by which living organisms extract energy from food and oxygen, resulting in ATP molecules.

9) The human body uses up to 20% of its overall energy just for cellular respiration.

10) One gram of protein provides 4 kilocalories or 12 calories of energy while one gram of carbohydrates provides only 1 kilocalorie or 4 calories of energy.

Conclusion About The Differences Between Photosynthesis And Cellular Respiration

Photosynthesis is a process where plants harvest energy from sunlight to grow. Cellular respiration is the breakdown of organic compounds in cells.

It can be suggested that photosynthesis is one of the ways for plants to produce energy while cellular respiration enables all the cells in an organism to function.

Photosynthesis requires sunlight while cellular respiration does not. Photosynthesis provides energy for the plant while cellular respiration only provides energy for individual cells.

References:

Resource 01: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/photosynthesis/#:~:text
Resource 02: https://www.visiblebody.com/blog/building-it-up-and-breaking-it-down-photosynthesis-vs.-cellular-respiration