Photosynthesis traps free energy present in sunlight that, in turn, is used to produce carbohydrates from carbon dioxide. Cellular respiration and fermentation harvest free energy from sugars to produce free energy carriers, including ATP. The free energy available in sugars drives metabolic pathways in cells. Photosynthesis and respiration are interdependent processes.
Cells and organisms must exchange matter with the environment. For example, water and nutrients are used in the synthesis of new molecules; carbon moves from the environment to organisms where it is incorporated into carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids or fats; and oxygen is necessary for more efficient free energy use in cellular respiration. Differences in surface-to-volume ratios affect the capacity of a biological system to obtain resources and eliminate wastes. Programmed cell death (apoptosis) plays a role in normal development and differentiation (e.g. morphogenesis).
Explanation:
Autotrophic cells capture free energy through photosynthesis and chemosynthesis.
Chemosynthesis captures energy present in inorganic chemicals.
Membranes allow cells to create and maintain internal environments that differ from external environments. The structure of cell membranes results in selective permeability; the movement of molecules across them via osmosis, diffusion and active transport maintains dynamic homeostasis. In eukaryotes, internal membranes partition the cell into specialized regions that allow cell processes to operate with optimal efficiency. Each compartment or membrane-bound organelle enables localization of chemical reactions.
Organisms also have feedback mechanisms that maintain dynamic homeostasis by allowing them to respond to changes in their internal and external environments. Negative feedback loops maintain optimal internal environments, and positive feedback mechanisms amplify responses. Changes in a biological system’s environment, particularly the availability of resources, influence responses and activities, and organisms use various means to obtain nutrients and get rid of wastes. Homeostatic mechanisms across phyla reflect both continuity due to common ancestry and change due to evolution and natural selection; in plants and animals, defense mechanisms against disruptions of dynamic homeostasis have evolved. Additionally, the timing and coordination of developmental, physiological and behavioral events are regulated, increasing fitness of individuals and long-term survival of populations.
