Cell Processes

PHOTOSYNTHESIS is a process that occurs in the chloroplasts of plant cells (and some protists such as Euglena).

During this process, light energy is converted to glucose, a food source for the plant. Carbon dioxide (from the air) and water(from the ground) come together in the presence of sunlight to produce glucose and oxygen gas.

The glucose remains in the plant and is used to fuel the process of cellular respiration.

The oxygen is released from the plant into the air.

CELLULAR RESPIRATION is a process that occurs in the mitochondria of all eukaryotes (plants, animals, protists, fungi).

Glucose is converted into energy for the cell.

This energy is used for growth and repair within the cell.

Within the mitochondria, glucose (which comes from the food of the organism) is broken down when combines with oxygen.

The end result of this chemical reaction is energy (or ATP).

Two other products occur as well: carbon dioxide and water. Both of these usually leave the cell as some sort of waste product.

Diffusion happens when a chemical spreads out from high concentration to low concentration. An example with cells would be when the blood that is rich in oxygen passes that oxygen into a cell.

Osmosis is very similar to diffusion. The difference is that osmosis is the diffusion of water across a membrane.