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Energy: The Ability To Work.

Photosynthesis and Respiration

+ The question is where do these animals get he energy to do such amazing things

A certain bird, the spine tailed swift can fly up to 106 miles per hour. The cheetah, the fastest-moving land animal, can run 65 miles per hour. The red kangaroo can jump as high as ten feet in the air. It can jump forward 30 feet. Hummingbirds can beat their wings 90 times a second.

+ The answer is your cells get energy from food and oxygen. In this chapter you will learn how they do this.

What Is Energy? The universe is made up of two things: Matter and energy. You know that matter is anything that has mass and takes up space. Most of the time you can see and feel matter. But energy is not matter. It does not have mass. Yet you know it is there. There is energy in a flowing river. There is energy in a shining star. A tree uses energy to grow. You use energy every time we take a breath. Any time something moves, it uses energy.

All Living Things Need Energy

All living things need energy to live. Some organisms get energy from the food they eat. Others may get it from sunlight or chemicals. No matter the source all living things must take in something that is a source of energy for their cells.

How Substances Enter and Leave the Cells

The cell membrane is semi-permeable. That means there are tiny holes, or pores in the cell membrane.
Certain kinds of molecules can pass into the cell through the cell membrane. And certain molecules can pass out of the cell through the cell membrane. So food must be broken

down into tiny molecules

before it can enter the cells.

Respiration: The Way Cells Release Energy

In most organisms, two things are needed for cells to release energy: food and oxygen. While you are eating, you are also breathing. Breathing lets you get energy out of the air. These oxygen molecules pass into your blood cells through the membranes in your lungs. The mitochondria in your cells are the organelles that convert most of your food into useable energy. Food, in the form of sugars and fats, combines with oxygen molecules in the mitochondria. This releases energy.

Respiration

The process of releasing energy in the cells is called respiration. There are two byproducts of aerobic respiration: carbon dioxide and water. Carbon dioxide is a gas. It, along with water passes out of your cells. Food + oxygen= energy + carbon dioxide + water

Respiration and Breathing

Some people confuse breathing with respiration. Breathing is the way you take air into your lungs and let it out. Respiration is the way your cells change food into useable energy.

Photo Synthesis & Respiration

Do you notice something about these two processes? They are the exact opposites of each other. Aerobic respiration uses food and oxygen to release energy, carbon dioxide and water. Photosynthesis uses energy, carbon dioxide, and water to make food and oxygen. Photosynthesis and respiration are two of the most important processes for all living things. Energy from the sun sets the process of photosynthesis in action. Without the sun, there would probably be no life on Earth. Without plants making food, animals would have nothing to eat at all, with the exception of Timothy Green. The processes of respiration and photosynthesis are the basis for the survival of life on Earth.