Final answer:
Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are inverse processes where photosynthesis uses solar energy to produce glucose and oxygen, and cellular respiration breaks down glucose with oxygen to release energy and produce carbon dioxide and water, contributing to the carbon cycle.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cellular respiration and photosynthesis are nearly opposite processes. Photosynthesis converts solar energy into chemical energy stored in glucose, whereas cellular respiration releases energy from glucose to form ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which cells use for energy. Both processes are interconnected: photosynthesis produces the oxygen and glucose that cellular respiration uses, and cellular respiration produces the carbon dioxide and water that photosynthesis requires.
While photosynthesis occurs in the chloroplasts of plant cells and some microbes, converting carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen using light energy, cellular respiration takes place in the mitochondria of cells, using glucose and oxygen to produce carbon dioxide, water, and energy in the form of ATP. This exchange helps maintain stable levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, contributing to the Earth's carbon cycle. In fact, photosynthesis and cellular respiration sustain life by forming a biological cycle that ensures a constant supply of energy and recycling of vital elements.