Which statement best describes heat and thermal energy? a: they are different words for the same thing. b: they represent different concepts. c: heat is what happens when thermal energy stops moving between substances. d: thermal energy is what happens when heat moves between substances.

B: They represent different concepts.

The correct answer is option B: "They represent different concepts".

Explanation:

While at first glance heat and thermal energy could be considered synonymous, these two terms represent different concepts. Thermal energy is defined as the internal energy that objects have due to the kinetics of its atoms, where a hotter object have more kinetic energy while a colder object have less kinetic energy. On the other hand, heat is a term used to describe the transference of thermal energy between two or more objects.

In the light-independent reactions, the plant starts with carbon dioxide and ends up with glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G3P). It uses ATP and NADPH from the light-dependent reactions as energy sources  

Explanation:

Step 1: CO₂ adds to ribulose biphosphate (RBP) to form a six-carbon sugar that immediately decomposes into two molecules of 3-phosphopglycerate (3-PGA).

CO₂ + RBP ⟶ 2 3-PGA

Step 2. A phosphate group adds to the 3-PGA to form 1,3-biphosphoglycerate (1,3-BPG).

3-PGA + ATP ⟶ 1,3-BPG + ADP

Step 3. NADPH reduces the 1,3-BPG to G3P

1,3-BPG + NADPH ⟶ G3P + NADP⁺

Most of the G3P is regenerated into RBP, but some leaves the cycle to become glucose.