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The Basics of Photosynthesis: - Almost All Plants Are Photosynthetic Autotrophs, As Are Some Bacteria and Protists

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants, algae, and some bacteria use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to produce oxygen and energy in the form of glucose. It takes place in chloroplasts and involves two stages: the light-dependent reactions where sunlight is absorbed to make ATP and NADPH, and the light-independent Calvin cycle where carbon dioxide is fixed using ATP and NADPH to produce glucose. Photosynthesis provides a critical energy source and oxygen for living organisms on Earth.

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384 views15 pages

The Basics of Photosynthesis: - Almost All Plants Are Photosynthetic Autotrophs, As Are Some Bacteria and Protists

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants, algae, and some bacteria use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to produce oxygen and energy in the form of glucose. It takes place in chloroplasts and involves two stages: the light-dependent reactions where sunlight is absorbed to make ATP and NADPH, and the light-independent Calvin cycle where carbon dioxide is fixed using ATP and NADPH to produce glucose. Photosynthesis provides a critical energy source and oxygen for living organisms on Earth.

Uploaded by

Janet Laride
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

THE BASICS OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS

• Almost all plants are photosynthetic autotrophs, as


are some bacteria and protists
– Autotrophs generate their own organic matter through
photosynthesis
– Sunlight energy is transformed to energy stored in the
form of chemical bonds

(c) Euglena (d) Cyanobacteria

(b) Kelp
(a) Mosses, ferns, and
flowering plants
Light Energy Harvested by Plants &
Other Photosynthetic Autotrophs

6 CO2 + 6 H2O + light energy → C6H12O6 + 6 O2


WHY ARE PLANTS GREEN?
Plant Cells
have Green
Chloroplasts

The thylakoid
membrane of the
chloroplast is
impregnated with
photosynthetic
pigments (i.e.,
chlorophylls,
carotenoids).
THE COLOR OF LIGHT SEEN IS THE
COLOR NOT ABSORBED

• Chloroplasts
absorb light Reflected
Light light
energy and
convert it to
chemical energy

Absorbed
light

Transmitted Chloroplast
light
AN OVERVIEW OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS

• Photosynthesis is the process by which


autotrophic organisms use light energy to
make sugar and oxygen gas from carbon
dioxide and water

Carbon Water Glucose Oxygen


dioxide gas
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
AN OVERVIEW OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS
• The light reactions
Light
convert solar Chloroplast
energy to chemical
energy NADP
– Produce ATP & NADPH ADP
+P
Calvin
• The Calvin cycle makes Light
reactions
cycle

sugar from carbon


dioxide
– ATP generated by the light
reactions provides the energy
for sugar synthesis
– The NADPH produced by the
light reactions provides the
electrons for the reduction of
carbon dioxide to glucose
PHOTOSYNTHESIS

• Sunlight provides
ENERGY

CO2 + H2O produces


Glucose + Oxygen

6CO2 + 6H2O
C6H12O6 + 6O2
Steps of Photosynthesis
• Light hits reaction centers of chlorophyll,
found in chloroplasts
• Chlorophyll vibrates and causes water
to break apart.
• Oxygen is released into air
• Hydrogen remains in chloroplast
attached to NADPH
• “THE LIGHT REACTION”
Steps of Photosynthesis

• The DARK Reactions= Calvin Cycle


• CO2 from atmosphere is joined to H
from water molecules (NADPH) to form
glucose
• Glucose can be converted into other
molecules with yummy flavors!
Photosynthesis occurs in chloroplasts
• In most plants, photosynthesis occurs
primarily in the leaves, in the chloroplasts
• A chloroplast contains:
– stroma, a fluid
– grana, stacks of thylakoids
• The thylakoids contain chlorophyll
– Chlorophyll is the green pigment that captures
light for photosynthesis
• The location and structure of chloroplasts
Chloroplast
LEAF CROSS SECTION MESOPHYLL CELL
LEAF

Mesophyll

CHLOROPLAST Intermembrane space

Outer
membrane

Granum Inner
membrane
Grana Stroma Thylakoid
Stroma Thylakoid compartment
Chloroplast Pigments
• Chloroplasts contain several pigments
– Chlorophyll a
– Chlorophyll b
– Carotenoids
– Xanthophyll

Figure 7.7
Summary—Light Dependent
Reactions

a. Overall input
light energy, H2O.
b. Overall output
ATP, NADPH, O2.
Summary—Light Independent
Reactions

a. Overall input
CO2, ATP, NADPH.
b. Overall output
glucose.
Review: Photosynthesis uses light
energy to make food molecules

• A summary of
Chloroplast
the chemicalLight

processes of
photosynthesis Photosystem II
Electron
transport CALVIN
chains CYCLE Stroma
Photosystem I

Cellular
respiration
Cellulose
Starch
Other
LIGHT REACTIONS CALVIN CYCLE organic
compounds

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