Final answer:
The correct chemical equation for photosynthesis is 6CO₂ + 6H₂O + energy → C6H12O6 + 6O₂, representing the conversion of carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen using sunlight energy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct chemical equation for photosynthesis is actually 6CO₂ + 6H₂O + energy → C6H12O6 + 6O₂. In this process, six molecules of carbon dioxide (CO₂) react with six molecules of water (H₂O) using energy, generally from sunlight, to produce one molecule of glucose (C6H12O6) and six molecules of oxygen (O₂). Although the appearance of this equation is straightforward, photosynthesis occurs in two main stages: the light-dependent reactions and the Calvin cycle, indicating the complexity of the process beyond the simplified equation.
Cellular respiration is the reverse of the photosynthesis equation. During cellular respiration, glucose is broken down using oxygen to release energy, water, and carbon dioxide as waste products. This is indicated by the equation C6H12O6 + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O. It is through processes like cellular respiration in organisms that carbon from living things returns back to the atmosphere.