ECOSYSTEM: Life Energy

In this module, you will learn that all organisms need energy to sustain life. Your study will focus on how organisms
obtain energy from food and how organisms produce energy.

In order to sustain life, all organisms require energy, but not all of them can use

light energy directly for life activities. To provide the energy needed by all organisms, plants and other chlorophyll-
bearing organisms capture the energy of sunlight and convert it into chemical energy stored in the food. When
people and other heterotrophic organisms eat food from producers and consumers, chemical energy stored from food is
transferred to their bodies.

 Do you know how these processes are being done by our body and by other living organisms?

Key questions for this module:

 How do plants manufacture their own food?

 What are the factors that affect the rate of photosynthesis?
 How do cells convert stored energy in food into chemical energy? How do materials and energy flow in the
ecosystem?

Now you have to read and answer the questions that follow in the best way you can. Your answers will give the
teacher the necessary information on what you already know and those topics that need to be given more emphasis.

Pre Assessment:
 Photosynthesis
Plants are great food providers.
 Why do you think they are called great food providers?

Photosynthesis - is a process of food making done by plants and other autotrophic organisms. The presence of
chlorophyll enables these organisms to make their own food. Autotrophic organisms require light energy, carbon
dioxide (CO2), and water (H2O) to make food (sugar).

In plants, photosynthesis primarily takes place in the leaves and little or none in stems depending on the presence of
chlorophyll. The typical parts of the leaves include the upper and lower epidermis, m esophyll spongy layer, vascular
bundles, and stomates.

 The upper and lower epidermis protects the leaves and has nothing to do with photosynthetic
processes.
 Mesophyll has the most number of chloroplasts that contain chlorophyll. They are important in
trapping light energy from the sun.
 Vascular bundles - phloem and xylem serve as transporting vessels of manufactured food and water.
Carbon dioxide and oxygen were collected in the spongy layer and enters and exits the leaf through the
stomata.

The parts of a chloroplast include the outer and inner membranes, intermembrane space, stroma and thylakoids
stacked in grana.

The chlorophyll is built into the membranes of the thylakoids. Chlorophyll absorbs white light but it looks green
because white light consists of three primary colors: red, blue, and green. Only red and blue light is absorbed thus
making these colors unavailable to be seen by our eyes while the green light is reflected which makes the chlorophyll
looks green. However, it is the energy from red light and blue light that are absorbed and will be used in photosynthesis.
The green light that we can see is not absorbed by the plant and thus, cannot be used in photosynthesis.

There are two stages of photosynthesis: (a) Light-dependent Reaction and (b) Calvin Cycle (dark reaction).

 Light-dependent reaction happens in the presence of light. It occurs in the thylakoid membrane and converts
light energy to chemical energy. Water-one of the raw materials of photosynthesis-is utilized during this stage
and facilitates the formation of free electrons and oxygen. The energy harvested during this stage is stored in
the form of ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) and NADPH( Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate
Hydrogen). These products will be needed in the next stage to complete photosynthetic process.

 Calvin Cycle (dark ) is a light-independent phase that takes place in the stroma and converts Carbon dioxide
(CO2) into sugar. This stage does not directly need light but needs the products of light reaction. This is why it
occurs immediately after the light-dependent phase.

The chemical reaction for photosynthesis is:

Investigating the Leaf Stomata
Now, examine the structure that enables the entrance and exit of gases in the leaf.
Evidence of Photosynthesis

Cellular Respiration
All heterotrophic organisms including man, depend directly or indirectly on plants and other
photosynthetic organisms for food.
 Why do we need food?
Organisms need food as the main source of energy. All organisms need energy to perform
essential life processes.
The food must be digested to simple forms such as glucose, amino acids, and triglycerides.
These are then transported to the cells. The immediate energy source of the cells is glucose.
Glucose inside the cell is broken down to release the stored energy. This stored energy is
harvested in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is a high-energy molecule needed
by working cells.

Glycolysis
In glycolysis, the 6-carbon sugar, glucose, is broken down into two molecules of a 3- carbon
molecule called pyruvate. This change is accompanied by a net gain of 2 ATP molecules and 2
NADH molecules.

Krebs Cycle
The Krebs Cycle occurs in the mitochondrial matrix and generates a pool of chemical energy
(ATP, NADH, and FADH2) from the oxidation of pyruvate, the end product of glycolysis.
Pyruvate is transported into the mitochondria and loses carbon dioxide to form acetyl-CoA, a
2-carbon molecule.
When acetyl-CoA is oxidized to carbon dioxide in the Krebs cycle, chemical energy is
released and captured in the form of NADH, FADH2, and ATP.

Electron Transport Chain

The electron transport chain allows the release of the large amount of chemical
energy stored in reduced NAD+ (NADH)
and reduced FAD (FADH2). The energy released is captured in the form of ATP
(3 ATP per NADH and 2 ATP per FADH2).
The electron transport chain (ETC) consists of a series of molecules, mostly
proteins, embedded in the inner mitochondrial membrane. This phase of
cellular respiration produces the greatest number of chemical energy in the form
of ATP.

The Power House!

Mitochondria are membrane-enclosed organelles distributed through the cytoplasm of most eukaryotic
cells. Their main function is the conversion of the potential energy of food molecules into ATP. This
organelle has important parts. An outer membrane encloses the entire structure that contains many
complexes of integral membrane proteins that form openings. A variety of molecules and ions move in and
out of the mitochondrion through the openings. An inner membrane encloses a fluid-filled matrix. This
membrane contains five complexes of integral proteins such as:
NADH dehydrogenase
succinate dehydrogenase
cytochrome c reductase (the cytochrome b-c1complex)
cytochrome c oxidase
ATP synthase

Let Us ReCharge!
Q26. Which of the terms found in the diagram is considered a process?

Q27. In which part of the cell does the process take place?
_________________________________________________________
Q28. What is the raw material?
_________________________________________________________
Q29. What are the products?
_________________________________________________________
Based on the diagram shown above, briefly describe the first step of
cellular respiration, emphasizing the location, raw materials needed and the end products.

Let us go round and round..

You have understood and identified the raw material and end products of Glycolysis. This time you will
see the importance of the end products of Glycolysis in the next stage, the KREBS CYCLE.
Your task is to arrange the following events in the Krebs Cycle in proper sequence. Base your answer on the
diagram. Assign numbers 1-7 in the space provided to indicate the correct sequence of events; then rewrite
them in a paragraph form.
____ A. In a series of steps, the hydrogen and high energy electrons are removed from the 2-carbon
molecule.
_____ B. The 2-carbon molecule enters the cycle and joins a 4-carbon molecule. _____ C. One ATP is formed.
_____ D. Two carbon dioxide are released.
_____ E. Three NAD+ are converted to 3 NADH and 3 H+.
_____ F. At the end of the cycle, nothing remains of the original glucose molecule. _____ G. One FAD is
converted into 1 FADH2.

Comparing Photosynthesis and Respiration

There is recycling of materials through the chloroplast and mitochondrion. Study the diagram below.
Summary
Through the process of photosynthesis, plants and other chlorophyll-bearing organisms produce food
for themselves.
In photosynthesis, plants capture light energy and convert it into chemical energy stored in food.
The summary equation for photosynthesis is as follows:

Photosynthesis occurs in the chloroplast found in the leaves of plants.

Essentially, the two major stages in photosynthesis are:
o Light reaction phase
o Calvin Cycle
Improved farming practices enhance photosynthesis that result in good harvest. Cellular respiration
occurs in the mitochondria of the cells.
Organisms release stored energy in food through the process of respiration.
Respiration breaks down glucose into carbon dioxide, water and energy (ATP) in the presence of oxygen.
The summary equation of respiration is as follows:

The breakdown of glucose involves three major steps: glycolysis, Krebs cycle; electron transport chain
SUMMATIVE TEST:
Choose the letter of the best answer. Write your answer on your answer sheet.
1. A farmer is experiencing a problem in growing his crops. Most of the leaves of the crops are turning yellow.
Which of the following will likely result from the yellowing of the leaves of the crops?
a. It will increase the production of food.
b. It will decrease the production of food.
c. The production of food will remain the same.
d. None of the above.
2. Abby wants to know if leaves are capable of making food during nighttime. Which of the following
experimental design should Abby do to get an accurate answer to her question?
a. Put one potted plant in a very dark place over night and test for the presence of starch.
b. Cover the plant with paper bag overnight and test for the presence of starch. c. Put one potted plant under
the sun and the other in a shaded area for two
hours and test for the presence of starch.
d. Cover one leaf of a potted plant with carbon paper for two hours and test for the presence of starch.
3. Which of the following materials are cycled out by the chloroplast and mitochondrion?
a. Carbon dioxide, water, oxygen, and ATP
b. Carbon dioxide, water, sugar and oxygen
c. Sugar, water, oxygen, and ATP
d. Sugar, water, sunlight, and oxygen
4. When cells breakdown a sugar molecule completely to produce chemical energy (ATP), the cells need the

following materials_________
5. A vegetable farmer wants to increase his harvest. Which of the following conditions should the farmer
consider?
a. The kind of soil only
b. The amount of water only
c. The location of the plots only
d. All of the above
6. Oxygen is essential in cellular respiration. What is the role of oxygen in the electron transport chain?

8. Which of the following best explains why planting trees and putting up urban gardens can help
prevent global warming?
a. Plants produce oxygen during day time and perform transpiration.
b. Plants absorb carbon dioxide that contributes to the rising of earth’s temperature.
c. Plants perform photosynthesis.
d. Plants use up carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, release oxygen to the environment, and perform
transpiration.