Answer:
C. Respiration can happen without sunlight, but photosynthesis
cannot.
Step-by-step explanation:
Respiration is the metabolic process by which the cells of living organisms, plants inclusive, obtain energy. Photosynthesis, on the other hand, is the process whereby plant cells synthesize their food in form of sugars (glucose).
Photosynthesis takes place in two stages namely: light dependent stage and light independent stage. The light dependent stage occurs strictly in the presence of sunlight, where oxygen gas is released as a product. Hence, it can only occurs during the day. Respiration, which breaks down the sugar product of photosynthesis to produce energy, occurs at anytime (day or night). Carbon dioxide (CO2) gas is released as a product.
Since the light dependent stage of photosynthesis cannot occur without sunlight, it cannot occur at night. this means that oxygen gas will not be released at night. However, respiration which occurs during daytime and nighttime continually releases carbon dioxide gas. This accounts for the reason CO2 gas is produced more by plants than oxygen at night.