How photosynthesis and respiration feed each other
Grade 9 Science Worksheet

Circle the best answer.
Read this first
Use the table
Card (model data). One leaf sits in a sealed jar; the jar is measured in bright light and again in darkness.
condition net CO₂ change in the jar (mL per hour) bright light 12 taken in darkness 4 released Ari reads a card for one leaf in a sealed jar. What is the leaf doing in the darkness row?
- Photosynthesizing, which takes in CO₂
- Resting, with no gas exchange without light
- Starting to respire now that the light is off
- Respiring, which releases CO₂
Bo sees that the jar lost 12 mL of CO₂ each hour in the bright light row. Which statement fits?
- Photosynthesis took in more CO₂ than respiration released
- Respiration stopped, so no CO₂ was released
- The two processes cancelled, leaving no change
- Photosynthesis released 12 mL of CO₂
Assume respiration releases CO₂ at the same rate in bright light as in darkness. Esme uses the card and the stated assumption. How much CO₂ did photosynthesis take in during the bright-light hour?
- 16 mL
- 4 mL
- 12 mL
- 8 mL
Use this
Flow diagram drawn as a loop (model, not to scale), inside a leaf cell. Two process boxes: photosynthesis, in the chloroplast, on the left; cellular respiration, in the mitochondrion, on the right. An arrow from photosynthesis to cellular respiration carries: glucose; oxygen. An arrow from cellular respiration back to photosynthesis carries: carbon dioxide; water. A wavy arrow points into photosynthesis: light energy. A wavy arrow points out of cellular respiration: energy moved to ATP and heat.
Jun follows one carbon atom. It enters a leaf in CO₂, joins glucose, and later leaves as CO₂. Which process sends it out?
- Photosynthesis, in a chloroplast
- No process, since plants keep glucose and do not release its carbon
- The splitting of water in the light
- Cellular respiration, in a mitochondrion
Use the table
Card (model data). One leaf sits in a sealed jar; carbon atoms are counted in the CO₂ gas and in the glucose.
stage carbon atoms in CO₂ gas carbon atoms in glucose start 600 0 after light 480 120 after darkness 540 60 Luz adds up the carbon atoms in the jar after the dark stage. How many carbon atoms are in the jar in total?
- 600 atoms, since the carbon moved but was not made or lost
- 540 atoms, the count left in the CO₂ gas
- 480 atoms, the count after the light
- 660 atoms, since respiration added 60 new atoms
Use this
Flow diagram drawn as a loop (model, not to scale), inside a leaf cell. Two process boxes: photosynthesis, in the chloroplast, on the left; cellular respiration, in the mitochondrion, on the right. An arrow from photosynthesis to cellular respiration carries: glucose; oxygen. An arrow from cellular respiration back to photosynthesis carries: carbon dioxide; water. A wavy arrow points into photosynthesis: light energy. A wavy arrow points out of cellular respiration: energy moved to ATP and heat.
Milo compares matter and energy in the loop. Which statement is right?
- Energy goes round the loop, but matter is used up
- Neither passes between the boxes; each process works alone
- Matter goes round the loop; energy enters as light and some leaves as heat
- Matter and energy both go round the loop again and again
Noah says the heat from respiration could be collected to power photosynthesis. What energy does photosynthesis use?
- Oxygen gas carried in from the air
- Light absorbed by chlorophyll
- Heat collected from respiration
- Glucose the leaf made the day before
Card for one model leaf (model data)
step energy (units) light energy absorbed 100 stored in glucose 40 released as heat 60 Pia reads an energy card for one model leaf. Which statement does the card support?
- The 60 units of heat can be gathered to rebuild the 100
- The leaf made 60 new units of heat energy
- The glucose holds the full 100 units, since light becomes sugar
- The 40 units stored and the 60 units of heat add up to the 100 that came in
Ren reads that it is noon with bright light. Which processes are running in a leaf cell?
- Photosynthesis, since respiration waits for dark
- Neither, since the cell rests at midday
- Cellular respiration, since photosynthesis needs darkness
- Both photosynthesis and cellular respiration
Tala reads that it is midnight and a leaf in a greenhouse gets no light. Which gas exchange fits the leaf?
- Takes in O₂ and gives off CO₂
- Takes in and gives off nothing without light
- Gives off O₂ as it uses up the glucose
- Takes in CO₂ and gives off O₂

