14. Why does photosynthesis exist? Why can\'t a plant go directly into cellular

Question

14. Why does photosynthesis exist? Why can't a plant go directly into cellular respiration? 15. Using the cellular respiration and photosynthesis equations and your knowledge of how they are balanced, provide a description of what would happen if a natural disaster occurred and a significant portion of the plant life on Earth died. What would happen to the atmosphere and remaining animal life? Why? 16. It has been pointed out that without sunlight, all life on Earth would die. Use the cellular respiration and photosynthesis equations to explain why this is so.

Explanation / Answer

In the process of photosynthesis, plants absorb sunlight and carbon dioxide, and through a series of steps, they convert these reactants into oxygen and glucose. So, for the production of food, plant must go for photosynthesis.

In cellular respiration, glucose breaks down in presence of oxygen to produce carbon dioxide, water and energy. Without glucose (food), cellular respiration will not occur. So, plant cant go directly into cellular respiration.

If this happens then atmospheric oxygen level will be reduced significantly due to loss of photosynthesis (Because most of the plants are died). That will be a big threat for remaining animal life. Without the sufficient oxygen, cellular respiration will be hampered significantly, and it will be a difficult situation to survive.

Without sunlight, photosynthesis in plants will not occur. Without photosynthesis, plants cant produce foods (mainly glucose). If they don’t produce glucose then all plants and animals (because all animals are dependent on plants for the source of their foods) will starve, and there will be no cellular respiration. So, all life on Earth would die.

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