Question

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demonstrate understanding

1. identify the major source of energy for living organisms and the main process by which that energy is captured and stored on earth.
2. describe an example of the first law of thermodynamics.
3. compare and contrast anabolic and catabolic pathways.
4. connect the role of adenosine triphosphate (atp) to energy transfers within a cell.

explain your thinking

1. write an essay describing the laws of thermodynamics. use examples related to biology to support your ideas.
2. cite evidence to support the argument that photosynthesis and cellular respiration provide most of the energy for life processes.

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Explanation:

1. The sun is the major source of energy for living organisms. Photosynthesis is the main process by which this energy is captured and stored on Earth. Plants use sunlight, carbon - dioxide, and water to produce glucose and oxygen.
2. An example of the first law of thermodynamics in biology is during cellular respiration. The energy in glucose is not created or destroyed but is converted from chemical energy in glucose to ATP and heat energy.
3. Anabolic pathways build complex molecules from simpler ones and require energy (e.g., protein synthesis). Catabolic pathways break down complex molecules into simpler ones and release energy (e.g., glycolysis).
4. ATP acts as an energy - carrier molecule in the cell. When the high - energy phosphate bond in ATP is broken, energy is released for cellular processes. When ADP gains a phosphate group, energy is stored in ATP.
5. The laws of thermodynamics: The first law states that energy is conserved. In biology, photosynthesis captures solar energy and converts it into chemical energy in glucose. The second law states that entropy (disorder) increases over time. In cells, energy transformations are not 100% efficient, and some energy is lost as heat, increasing the entropy of the system.
6. Photosynthesis in plants captures solar energy and converts it into chemical energy in glucose. Cellular respiration in plants and animals breaks down glucose to produce ATP, which powers life processes. The large amount of ATP produced by these two processes provides most of the energy for life.

Answer:

1. The major source of energy for living organisms is the sun. The main process by which that energy is captured and stored on Earth is photosynthesis.
2. During cellular respiration, the energy in glucose is converted from chemical energy in glucose to ATP and heat energy, demonstrating the first law of thermodynamics (energy is conserved).
3. Anabolic pathways build complex molecules from simpler ones and require energy (e.g., protein synthesis). Catabolic pathways break down complex molecules into simpler ones and release energy (e.g., glycolysis).
4. ATP is an energy - carrier molecule. When its high - energy phosphate bond is broken, energy is released for cellular processes. When ADP gains a phosphate group, energy is stored in ATP.
5. The first law of thermodynamics (energy conservation) is seen in photosynthesis where solar energy is converted to chemical energy in glucose. The second law (entropy increase) is seen in cells where energy transformations are not 100% efficient and some energy is lost as heat.
6. Photosynthesis captures solar energy and converts it into chemical energy in glucose. Cellular respiration breaks down glucose to produce ATP. The large amount of ATP produced by these two processes provides most of the energy for life processes.