PHOTOSYNTHESIS: carbon dioxide + water + light → glucose + oxygen. It happens in the CHLOROPLASTS of plant cells.
Before you read
Test yourself first: 5 questions
Question 1 of 5
Which macromolecule is the body's primary source of quick energy?
Answer: A. Carbohydrates (sugars) are broken down quickly for energy. Lipids store energy long-term; proteins build/repair tissue.
Question 2 of 5
The greatest amount of available energy in a food chain is at the level of the:
Answer: B. Producers hold the most energy; energy decreases at each higher level.
Question 3 of 5
In a food chain, organisms that make their own food are called:
Answer: A. Energy enters a food chain through producers. Every level above them depends on that captured energy.
Question 4 of 5
Which macromolecule is the body's main structural and repair material?
Answer: A. Four macromolecules, four jobs: carbohydrates (quick energy), lipids (stored energy and membranes), proteins (build and repair), nucleic acids (information).
Question 5 of 5
The molecule that stores and transfers energy for cellular processes is:
Answer: B. ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is the cell's main energy-carrying molecule.
Keep the streak going with more questions like these, each with a full rationale.
Key points
- PHOTOSYNTHESIS: carbon dioxide + water + light → glucose + oxygen. It happens in the CHLOROPLASTS of plant cells.
- CELLULAR RESPIRATION: glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water + ATP. It happens in the MITOCHONDRIA of all cells.
- ATP is the cell's usable energy currency — the reason respiration happens at all.
- Plants do BOTH; animals do only respiration.
- The oxygen you breathe was released by photosynthesis, and the carbon dioxide you exhale feeds it.
Study first
- Read the two equations one under the other: the products of each are the reactants of the other. That is the cycle.
- A plant in the dark still respires — it just cannot photosynthesize, so it consumes stored glucose.
Commonly tested
- Write both equations on one line, one above the other, and draw arrows connecting the matching terms. The mirror structure is the memory aid.
- Tie each process to its organelle with a single phrase: 'chloroplast captures, mitochondrion spends.'
Watch out for
- Saying plants only photosynthesize. They respire continuously, day and night.
- Placing photosynthesis in the mitochondria. Chloroplasts capture light; mitochondria release energy.
- Thinking respiration means breathing. Cellular respiration happens inside cells and does not require lungs.
Energy Cheat Sheet: FAQs
What should I focus on first when studying Energy Cheat Sheet?
Read the two equations one under the other: the products of each are the reactants of the other. That is the cycle. A plant in the dark still respires — it just cannot photosynthesize, so it consumes stored glucose.
What is most often missed on Energy Cheat Sheet?
Saying plants only photosynthesize. They respire continuously, day and night. Placing photosynthesis in the mitochondria. Chloroplasts capture light; mitochondria release energy. Thinking respiration means breathing. Cellular respiration happens inside cells and does not require lungs.
What do I need to know about Energy Cheat Sheet for the HESI A2?
PHOTOSYNTHESIS: carbon dioxide + water + light → glucose + oxygen. It happens in the CHLOROPLASTS of plant cells. CELLULAR RESPIRATION: glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water + ATP. It happens in the MITOCHONDRIA of all cells. ATP is the cell's usable energy currency — the reason respiration happens at all. Plants do BOTH; animals do only respiration.
What are the most commonly tested points on Energy Cheat Sheet?
Write both equations on one line, one above the other, and draw arrows connecting the matching terms. The mirror structure is the memory aid. Tie each process to its organelle with a single phrase: 'chloroplast captures, mitochondrion spends.'.
