Why is energy important?
Plant and animal cells need energy for biological processes to occur. Photosynthesis is one of the most important reactions for life.
- The reaction converts light energy into chemical energy.
- Chemical energy can then be transferred to all other organisms by consuming plants
Life depends on continuous transfers of energy.
- In photosynthesis, light is absorbed by chlorophyll (inside the chloroplasts). This is linked to the production of ATP.
- ATP production happens when protons diffuse down an electrochemical gradient through molecules of ATP synthase - an enzyme embedded in the membrane of organelles.