Question

A student prepares two glass containers for a science project. Both containers are closed and airtight. Container 1 has some plants and soil in it. Container 2 has small insects and some plants and soil. What chemical reactions are most likely to happen in these containers?

A). In container 1, only photosynthesis will take place. , In container 1, only photosynthesis will take place.
B). In container 1, both photosynthesis and respiration will take place. , In container 1, both photosynthesis and respiration will take place.
C). In container 2, both photosynthesis and respiration will take place. , In container 2, both photosynthesis and respiration will take place.
D). In container 2, only respiration will take place.

Answer 1

Both photosynthesis and cellular respiration occur in container 1 with plants, and in container 2 with plants and insects. The presence of plants initiates photosynthesis, while organisms including plants and insects perform cellular respiration.

Step-by-step explanation:

In both container 1 and container 2, both photosynthesis and cellular respiration will take place. Container 1, which has plants and soil, will facilitate photosynthesis where the plants use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and release oxygen. Simultaneously, cellular respiration occurs in the plants' mitochondria, where glucose is used to produce energy, with carbon dioxide and water as byproducts. In container 2, along with the plants, the presence of insects will also lead to cellular respiration as they consume oxygen and produce carbon dioxide. This carbon dioxide can then be utilized by plants in photosynthesis. Therefore, the correct answer is C) In container 2, both photosynthesis and cellular respiration will take place, recognizing that both processes occur in both containers.