Page 196 - Microsoft Word - LessonPlan-Overview.doc
P. 196
Although both of these things do
require energy, they don’t tell us
what energy is. In science,
energy is the ability to cause a
change. Some of the changes
energy can cause are changes in
temperature (something getting
hotter or colder), changes in state When a match is struck, the chemical energy in the
(going from a solid to a liquid, match is changed to light and heat.
liquid to a gas, etc.) or a change in
Photosynthesis is a process
location (moving from one place to
where light energy is changed into
another.)
chemical energy. As we said in the
last section, this process happens
in the chloroplast of plant cells.
Photosynthesis is one of the most
important things that happen in
cells. In fact, photosynthesis is
considered one of the most
important processes for all life on
Earth. It makes sense that
The heat energy from the stove makes the water in photosynthesis is really important
this pot hotter, and then changes it from liquid to plants, since it gives them
water to steam.
energy, but why is it so important
Several common kinds of energy to animals? Let’s learn a little
are light, heat, sound, electricity, more about photosynthesis and see
kinetic energy (the energy of if we can answer that question.
motion) and chemical energy
There are many steps to
(energy stored up in things like
photosynthesis, but if we wanted
batteries or cells.) Energy cannot
to sum it up in one equation, it
be created or destroyed, but you
would be carbon dioxide (CO 2) +
can change energy from one type
water (H 2O) makes glucose
to another.
(C 6H 12O 6) and oxygen (O 2). These
words can be written like this:
6CO 2 + 6H 2O + Light Energy
C 6H 12O 6 + 6O 2
It can also be shown in a picture
like this:
© 2011 Supercharged Science www.ScienceLearningSpace.com
598
