10/22/2018 Carbon Compounds | BioNinja

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Carbon Compounds

Understanding:
• Carbon dioxide diffuses from the atmosphere or water into autotrophs
• Autotrophs convert carbon dioxide into carbohydrates and other carbon compounds

Autotrophs, such as all plants and algae, convert inorganic carbon dioxide into organic compounds via
photosynthesis

These organic compounds include the carbohydrates, lipids and proteins required by the organism for survival

Since autotrophs use carbon dioxide for photosynthesis, the levels of carbon dioxide within the organism
should always be low

In other words, carbon dioxide should always be at a higher concentration in the atmosphere (or water)
This concentration gradient ensures that carbon dioxide will passively diffuse into the autotrophic organism as
required
In aquatic producers, CO2 can usually diffuse directly into the autotroph; whereas in terrestrial plants, diffusion
occurs at stomata

Heterotrophs cannot synthesise their own organic molecules and instead obtain carbon compounds via
feeding

Understanding:
• Carbon dioxide is produced by respiration and diffuses out of organisms into water or the atmosphe

All organisms may produce the chemical energy (ATP) required to power metabolic processes via the process
of cell respiration

Cell respiration involves the breakdown of organic molecules (e.g. sugars) and produces carbon dioxide as a
by-product
The build up of CO2 in respiring tissues creates a concentration gradient, allowing it to be removed by passive
diffusion

In autotrophs, the uptake of CO2 by photosynthesis may at times be balanced by the production of CO2 by
respiration

This is known as the compensation point, at which the net carbon dioxide assimilation is zero (intake = output)

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10/22/2018 Carbon Compounds | BioNinja

Similarly, the amount of carbon dioxide in the environment will be determined by the level of these two
processes:

If there is more net photosynthesis than cell respiration occuring in the biosphere, atmospheric carbon dioxide
levels should drop
If there is more net respiration than overall photosynthesis occuring, atmospheric carbon dioxide levels should
increase

Photosynthesis versus Cell Respiration

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