Chapter 3 - Chemistry Matter and Change - Chloroplasts

Chapter 3 - Chemistry Matter and Change - ChloroplastsChapter three of Chemistry Matter and Change looks at the role of chloroplasts in this book. The relationship between chemistry and biology is something that we are all taught at school. Chemists learn that the building blocks of matter have chemical units that fit together in specific ways. While these units have a natural order, there is an inherent relationship that exists between them.Chloroplasts are examples of organic molecules that occur naturally in plants. They play a significant role in the biological system by providing the raw material that plants use to produce organic compounds that plants use to build tissues, bones, hair, and skin. For plants, chloroplasts play a role that is similar to that of cells within our bodies, providing the raw material necessary for a cellular function.As mentioned above, chloroplasts play a role similar to that of the mitochondria found in the cell nucleus. In fact, mitochondria play a similar role in our body, but they do not require chloroplasts to survive.Chloroplasts supply nutrients to the plant. Chloroplasts are located in the outer parts of the leaf where light is available to photosynthesis. The energy from sunlight provides the power needed to help the chloroplasts perform their normal role of carrying nutrients.Chloroplasts also play a role that we can think of as being somewhat analogous to that of a skeleton within the body. They provide mechanical support and aid in the circulation of nutrients through the leaves.As chloroplasts work on behalf of the chlorophyll molecules that they carry around the leaf, they take in minerals that are needed to facilitate the survival of the plant. By taking in food, the chloroplasts help makeup for the loss of certain minerals from the leaves that are not used to provide the needs of the plant.In this chapter, we've seen the relationship between chemistry and biology. Chloroplasts form the basis of a cell, both in pl ants and in our own bodies. We've also discussed the role of chloroplasts in a human body.