Energy at the Botanic Garden

A chemical equation is a short way to represent a chemical reaction. A chemical reaction is the process where substances are turned into other substances. In cellular respiration, the reactants are oxygen and glucose. Oxygen is what we use to breathe and glucose is sugar. This means that the plant starts with oxygen and glucose. The reaction turns these reactants into carbon dioxide, water, and ATP. These are called the products. This reaction is important because ATP helps the plants to grow and to stay alive. Especially, because it gives energy.

Cells go through a process called cellular respiration when a plant turns sugar (glucose) into energy. The process includes 4 steps: Glycolysis, Pyruvate Oxidation, Citric Acid Cycle, and Oxidative Phosphorylation. First, a six carbon molecule called glucose goes through a process of transformations where it becomes 2 molecules of pyruvate. During this reaction ATP is made and NAD+ is changed into NADH. Next, the pyruvate molecules go into the mitochondrial matrix. There it is converted into a two carbon molecule bound to Coenzyme A. As a result Carbon Dioxide is released and NADH is generated. Then, in the citric acid cycle acetyl CoA mixes with a four carbon molecule, which then goes through a chain of chemical reactions. In all, ATP, NADH, and FaDH2 are made and carbon dioxide is released. Finally, oxidative phosphorylation takes NADH and FaDH2’s electrons which turns them back to their original forms NAD+ and FADon the electrons transport train. At the end of the electron transport train water is formed. In cellular respiration energy is released allowing the plants to grow. (Source: Khan Academy)