In the process of photosynthesis, plants use carbon dioxide (CO2), water (H2O), and light energy to produce a sugar (C6H12O6) and oxygen (O2). In the process of aerobic cellular respiration, animals and plants release energy from sugar and oxygen and produce carbon dioxide and water. The chemical equations that describe these reactions look like this:

photosynthesis: 6CO2 + 6H2O + light ---> C6H12O6 + 6O2
cellular respiration: C6H12O6 + 6O2 ----> 6CO2 + 6H2O + 36 ATP

How do these equations explain why the total amount of O2 and CO2 remains the same?

If you look at the equations of photosynthesis and cellular respiration, the amounts are the same, it just that the products and reactant are switched.

That’s because the reactants of photosynthesis go towards the products of cellular respiration.

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pstnonsonjoku pstnonsonjoku · Answer 2 · 2021-10-02T06:54:43+02:00

Photosynthesis takes out carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and introduces oxygen while respiration takes away oxygen from the atmosphere and introduces carbon dioxide.

The two processes, cellular respiration and photosynthesis largely account for the balance between carbon dioxide and oxygen in nature.

In photosynthesis, green plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen according to the equation; 6CO2 + 6H2O + light ---> C6H12O6 + 6O2.

In cellular respiration, animals take in the oxygen released by plants during photosynthesis to break down complex food materials and release energy according to the equation; C6H12O6 + 6O2 ----> 6CO2 + 6H2O + 36 ATP.

These two processes ensure that the delicate balance between carbon dioxide and oxygen in the atmosphere is maintained. If any of these processes are distorted, this balance in nature will be upset leading to adverse consequences on living things.

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