Photosynthesis – Life's Primary Energy Source
Students learn about photosynthesis.Copyright Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, Energy http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/renewable/images/photosynthesis1.gif
This lesson covers the process of photosynthesis and the related plant cell functions of transpiration and cellular respiration. Students learn how engineers can view the natural process of photosynthesis as an exemplary model of a complex, yet efficient, process for converting solar energy to chemical energy or distributing water throughout a system.
Engineers are faced with the challenge of designing energy efficient systems for heating buildings, for example, or creating fuel-efficient vehicles. The photosynthetic process serves as an excellent model for highly efficient engineering design. Plants convert readily available resources (water, sunlight and carbon dioxide) into plant fuel (glucose). The only byproduct of the process is oxygen, which is an environmentally friendly product that is consumable by other organisms. Engineers who are working to optimize fuel efficiency and minimize hazardous emissions can look to the effective process of photosynthesis as an example.
- Describe how the relationship between photosynthesis and respiration sustain life on this planet.
- Explain the relationship between plants and animals in the oxygen-carbon dioxide cycle.
- Identify ways in which engineers could utilize knowledge of photosynthesis.