Uses of glucose

• Cellular respiration is when photosynthesis traps light energy in glucose molecules and other cells can break the glucose apart to release energy when needed
• Glucose can also be used to make cellulose which is a complex carbohydrate which is used to strengthen plant cell wall.
• Starch can also be made which is also a complex carbohydrate used for long term storage.

  1. it is more compact (you can fit a lot inside)
  2. insoluble (meaning no water will move into cell via osmosis like glucose would allow)
  3. can break back into glucose when photosynthesis isn’t occurring e.g night or winter
• By combining glucose molecules with nitrate ions (from the soil) you are able to produce amino acids which can then produce protein for the plant.
• Glucose can also be used for the making of lipids stored oils and fats which is stored as future energy source (especially for seeds)
• the overall conversion in photosynthesis is:

  light—> chemicals

  as it converts light from sun to chemical energy in the chemical bonds of glucose molecules.