What is the connection between cellular respiration and photosynthesis?

The connection between cellular respiration and photosynthesis lies primarily in the exchange of energy and the roles of these two processes in an ecosystem. Photosynthesis, which occurs in the chloroplasts of plant cells, converts carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen using sunlight as an energy source. This glucose is essential for plants, as it serves as an energy source for growth and metabolism.

In cellular respiration, which takes place in the mitochondria of cells, glucose and oxygen are used to produce carbon dioxide, water, and ATP (the energy currency of the cell). This process breaks down glucose to release energy, which is then used for various cellular activities. Thus, the products of photosynthesis—glucose and oxygen—are the reactants required for cellular respiration. This interdependence showcases a critical cycle in nature: photosynthesis captures solar energy and stores it in chemical form (glucose), while cellular respiration releases that stored energy for use by plants and other organisms.

Other options do not accurately represent this connection; for instance, cellular respiration does not produce glucose and oxygen and is not limited to the chloroplasts, which are specifically involved in photosynthesis, nor is photosynthesis confined to nighttime.