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Essay Instructions: Photosynthesis is used by plants to harness solar energy. A semiconductor-based solar cell harnesses solar energy to convert it to electricity required by humans. Write an essay of 1 ? 3 pages comparing and contrasting these two systems. Be certain to describe three or more ways in which the plant cell and the solar cell are similar to each other, as well as three or more ways in which they are different from each other. In addition, please explain how the laws of thermodynamics apply to each system.

This paper should adhere to APA style standards including the following:
?Double space
?1? margins
?In text citation of references
?A title page and a reference page are required, but do not count towards the 1-3 page length.

Essay Instructions: Photosynthesis is used by plants to harness solar energy. A semiconductor-based solar cell harnesses solar energy to convert it to electricity required by humans. Write an essay of 1 ??" 3 pages comparing and contrasting these two systems. Be certain to describe three or more ways in which the plant cell and the solar cell are similar to each other, as well as three or more ways in which they are different from each other. In addition, please explain how the laws of thermodynamics apply to each system. Double-spaced, 1” margins, separate title page, in-text citation of references, and a separate reference page. Papers cannot have more than 25% of its information from sources. Cannot write in the first or second person; papers should be written in third person. Therefore, you cannot use the word I, we, us, our, you, or mine. Cannot use informational sites that are open sources and contain information that is not verified to be researched data and information. There are other websites like Yahoo Answers and Blurtit.com both of which are blogs and open sources that anyone can post a question and anyone (whether they know the answers as correct/true) can respond.

Essay Instructions: 2-3 pages
Details: Background:

Whether it was volcanic activity that spewed sulfur dioxide and ash into the atmosphere, or a giant meteor that crashed into the Earth blasting dust and debris into the sky, both theories of what caused the dinosaurs to become extinct share one critical similarity -- light from the sun was obliterated. The result of the months? long darkness was the mass extinction of nearly 70% of all creatures on Earth.

Like the dinosaurs, humans cannot live without the sun. Not only does it provide light and warmth, it is also the energy source for arguably the most important chemical reaction on Earth: photosynthesis.

"Even if you revel in cheeseburgers and fried chicken, the energy in these animal fats and proteins ultimately came from the animals' food ? plants? (Audesirk, Audesirk, & Byers, B., 2008, p. 129).

Answer the following assignment questions:

1. Explain how photosynthesis and respiration are linked in order to provide you with energy from the food you eat.

Include in your essay:

?Complete descriptions of photosynthesis and aerobic respiration.
?Describe how these two processes are linked between plants and animals based on the reactants and products (water, carbon dioxide, glucose and oxygen) of both pathways.
?Include a description of how energy is transferred from sunlight to ATP, from ATP to sugars, and from sugars to your cells.


2. In the absence of oxygen some cells and organisms can use glycolysis coupled to fermentation to produce energy from the sugar created by photosynthesis.

?Explain the role of fermentation in allowing an organism to generate energy for its cell(s) in the absence of oxygen.
?Include any reactions required for this process, and explain how the energy from the sun ends up as chemical energy for the anaerobic organism or cell.
3. Cells use enzymes as biological catalysts to increase or accelerate the rate of reactions, such as those in photosynthesis or glycolysis. This allows reactions to occur under conditions that sustain life.

?Explain how an enzyme catalyzes a reaction. Include in your essay the three main steps of the cycle of enzyme-substrate interactions.
?How is enzyme activity regulated by the cell?
Reference

Audesirk, T., Audesirk, G., and Byers, B. (2008). Biology ? Life on earth with physiology (8th Ed.). San Francisco, CA: Benjamin Cummings.

Your essays should be several paragraphs in length for each question, be thoroughly paraphrased, and include appropriate in-text citations and a reference list in APA format.

Essay Instructions: The purpose of this activity is to demonstrate that animals and plants depend upon each other for survival.

To get started read chapter 6 in the textbook ?Photosynthesis: Acquiring Energy from the Sun?. As you read chapter 6 start thinking about how plants consume carbon dioxide (an animal waste product) and release oxygen (a plant waste product). Begin researching what happens when plants are unable to provide sufficient amounts of oxygen to maintain animal life. To help you explore this topic begin researching why the biosphere experiment in the 1980s was prematurely stopped.

Here are some suggestions for resources:

Library (Excelsior College Virtual Library, other libraries): key words: photosynthesis and
respiration
Google Searches:
photosynthesis and respiration
Biosphere experiment
In your exploration make a special point to note answers to the following questions:

How do plants acquire carbon dioxide and release oxygen?
For what purposes do plants acquire carbon dioxide?
Do you think that a plant could survive in an air tight box that had everything the plant needed except a source of oxygen?
Write a one page, double spaced paper (500 + words) titled ?Why There Would Be No People Without Plants.?

Be sure to include the following in your paper:

Introduction to the topic
Your views with supported resources
A conclusion
Be sure to submit your project in one WORD document in APA format and place it in the appropriate assignment dropbox.

Project 2 is due by the end of Module 7.

For additional information on how your work will be graded, please see the writing rubric.