Question

A fellow student is studying the differences between photosynthesis and cellular respiration. The student asks you to explain how cellular respiration uniquely contributes to the carbon cycle. In 3–5 sentences, describe the different ways that both photosynthesis and cellular respiration contribute to the carbon cycle.(4 points)

Answer 1

[AI-generated answer — Bot GPT 3.5]

Both photosynthesis and cellular respiration play crucial roles in the carbon cycle. Photosynthesis removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by using it in the process of converting sunlight into glucose, which is stored in plants. This helps to decrease the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, acting as a carbon sink. On the other hand, cellular respiration releases carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere as a byproduct of breaking down glucose for energy. This process contributes to the carbon cycle by returning carbon dioxide back to the atmosphere, balancing the levels of carbon dioxide in the ecosystem.