7.1: Why It Matters- Metabolic Pathways

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Why explain the metabolic pathways involved in the capture and release of energy in cells?

Every time you move—or even breathe—you’re using energy. All living things are continually using energy; thus, they need a way to create or obtain new energy. Two of these ways are photosynthesis and cellular respiration.

Plants (and other autotrophs) undergo photosynthesis to create energy. Humans (and other heterotrophs) on the other hand must consume something that has energy (like plants or other animals)—we take this energy and convert it into a form our body can use. This process is known as cellular respiration.

Watch this 5 minute video for an overview of why even small changes in the global climate have the potential for big impacts on our daily lives through our food sources.

Thumbnail for the embedded element "Withering Crops -- Changing Planet"

A YouTube element has been excluded from this version of the text. You can view it online here: pb.libretexts.org/bionm1/?p=214

What role does farming play in giving us energy to use every day?
How do plants get energy to grow, and how do we then get our energy from them?

Ok, let’s see where we get all the energy to stay awake during biology class!

Contributors and Attributions

Why It Matters: Metabolic Pathways. Authored by: Shelli Carter and Lumen Learning. Provided by: Lumen Learning. License: CC BY: Attribution

Withering Crops -- Changing Planet. Authored by: National Science Foundation . Located at: https://youtu.be/cBqr43QbfBE. License: All Rights Reserved. License Terms: Standard YouTube License