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9th grade Photosynthesis: the balanced equation and where the energy goes worksheet

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Photosynthesis: the balanced equation and where the energy goes

Grade 9 Science Worksheet - Building Confidence

NameDate

Circle the best answer.

  1. Read this first

    Use this

    Flow diagram (model, not to scale), drawn inside the chloroplast. Inputs in boxes on the left: 6CO₂; 6H₂O. Outputs in boxes on the right: C₆H₁₂O₆; 6O₂. A wavy arrow points into the reaction: light energy.

  2. Ari reads 6CO₂ in the flow diagram. What does the 6 in front of CO₂ tell Ari?

    • 6 grams of carbon dioxide
    • 6 carbon atoms in one CO₂ molecule
    • 6 molecules of carbon dioxide
    • 6 oxygen atoms in one CO₂ molecule
  3. Bo sees light energy on the left side of the photosynthesis equation. What kind of part is light energy?

    • An input: energy that goes in and is stored
    • An output: energy that the reaction releases
    • An input: matter that adds atoms to glucose
    • An output: energy that leaves as oxygen gas
  4. Use this

    Flow diagram (model, not to scale), drawn inside the chloroplast. Inputs in boxes on the left: carbon dioxide; water. Outputs in boxes on the right: glucose; oxygen gas. A wavy arrow points into the reaction: light energy. Arrow X runs from the water box to the oxygen gas box. Arrow Y runs from the carbon dioxide box to the oxygen gas box.

  5. Esme follows the oxygen gas released by a leaf. Which arrow shows where that oxygen comes from?

    • Neither arrow: the leaf takes oxygen in from the air
    • Arrow X reversed, from the oxygen gas to the water
    • Arrow X, from the water: splitting water frees oxygen
    • Arrow Y, from the carbon dioxide: CO₂ gives up its oxygen
  6. Use the table

    Formula card (model data, not to scale): one glucose molecule, C₆H₁₂O₆.

    elementsubscript
    C6
    H12
    O6
  7. Jun reads the formula card for one glucose molecule. How many oxygen atoms does one molecule hold?

    • 24 oxygen atoms
    • 6 oxygen atoms
    • 12 oxygen atoms
    • 1 oxygen atom
  8. Use this

    Flow diagram (model, not to scale), drawn inside the chloroplast. Inputs in boxes on the left: 6CO₂; 6H₂O. Outputs in boxes on the right: C₆H₁₂O₆; 6O₂. A wavy arrow points into the reaction: light energy.

  9. Kira reads 6CO₂ on the left. Atoms = coefficient × subscript. How many oxygen atoms is that?

    • 2 oxygen atoms
    • 8 oxygen atoms
    • 6 oxygen atoms
    • 12 oxygen atoms
  10. The 6H₂O on the left holds 12 hydrogen atoms. Luz counts hydrogen atoms in C₆H₁₂O₆ and 6O₂ on the right. How many are there?

    • 12 hydrogen atoms, all in the glucose
    • 0 hydrogen atoms, since hydrogen is used up
    • 6 hydrogen atoms, since half are lost
    • 24 hydrogen atoms, since O₂ adds 12 more
  11. Noah reads that plant cells carry out photosynthesis in chloroplasts. Which phrase tells what a chloroplast is?

    • A cell part that carries out photosynthesis
    • A cell part that turns carbon dioxide into oxygen gas
    • A cell part that breaks glucose down to make ATP
    • A leaf opening that lets gases in and out
  12. Pia reads that plants are photoautotrophs. Which phrase tells what a photoautotroph is?

    Use the picture in question 7.

    • An organism that builds its body from soil it takes in
    • An organism that relies on sugars made by other organisms
    • An organism that makes its own food using light
    • An organism that gets energy from inorganic chemicals
  13. Use this

    Flow diagram (model, not to scale), drawn inside the chloroplast. Inputs in boxes on the left: 6CO₂; 6H₂O. Outputs in boxes on the right: C₆H₁₂O₆; 6O₂. Letter D marks a wavy arrow touching the reaction; its label is blank.

  14. Ren reads a flow diagram of photosynthesis with a blank wavy arrow D touching the reaction. Which label fits D?

    • No energy moves: CO₂ and glucose hold equal energy
    • Energy out: released as the glucose forms
    • Light energy in: taken in and stored in the glucose bonds
    • Light energy in: it becomes the atoms of the glucose
  15. Use this

    Flow diagram (model, not to scale), drawn inside the chloroplast. Inputs in boxes on the left: 6CO₂; 6H₂O. Outputs in boxes on the right: C₆H₁₂O₆; 6O₂. A wavy arrow points into the reaction: light energy.

  16. Zee reads that light energy goes into photosynthesis. Where does that energy end up afterward?

    • Added to the glucose as extra atoms of light
    • Stored in the bonds of the glucose
    • Gone, since light cannot be kept
    • Carried away by the oxygen gas
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9th grade Photosynthesis: the balanced equation and where the energy goes worksheet – printable
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About this worksheet

Photosynthesis: the balanced equation and where the energy goes. Every version has 10 questions, and the answer key prints on the second page.

What your child will learn

  • I can write the balanced equation 6CO₂ + 6H₂O + light energy → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ and say what each coefficient and subscript means.
  • I can count carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms on both sides (6, 12 and 18) and say why the counts match: atoms are rearranged, not made or used up.
  • I can say that light energy is energy, not matter, so it adds no atoms to the count.
  • I can say where the atoms of glucose come from (carbon dioxide and water, not soil or light) and that the oxygen gas comes from splitting water.
  • I can scale the equation (12 CO₂ make 2 glucose; 3 glucose go with 18 O₂) and recompute atom counts for the bigger numbers.
  • I can say that photosynthesis is endergonic: light energy goes in and is stored in the bonds of glucose, and the reverse (glucose breakdown) is the change that releases it.

Standard: HS-LS1-5

Words to know

photosynthesis: Plants, algae and some bacteria use light to build sugar from carbon dioxide and water

reactant, product: A starting substance in an equation; a substance made in an equation

coefficient, subscript: The big number in front of a formula; the small number after an atom's symbol

balanced equation: An equation with the same number of atoms of each element on both sides

light energy: Energy carried by light; it is energy, so it has no atoms to count

glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆): The sugar made in photosynthesis; it stores energy in the bonds between its atoms

chemical energy: Energy stored in the bonds of molecules, which is released when the bonds break

endergonic, exergonic: A change that takes in free energy; a change that releases free energy

Common mistakes

Your child thought the oxygen a leaf releases comes from carbon dioxide. It comes from splitting water. Ask your child which input is split to free the oxygen.

Your child thought light becomes matter in glucose. Light is energy; the atoms come from carbon dioxide and water, and the light energy is stored in the bonds. Ask your child what light adds to glucose.

Your child thought atoms are made or used up in photosynthesis. Atoms are rearranged, so each element has the same count on both sides. Ask your child to count carbon, hydrogen and oxygen on each side.

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with photosynthesis: the balanced equation and where the energy goes?

Your child thought the oxygen a leaf releases comes from carbon dioxide. It comes from splitting water. Ask your child which input is split to free the oxygen.

Are these 9th grade science worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions at each level are free to print, with the answer key, and no account is needed.

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