Photosynthesis and Plant Evolution

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering essential terms related to photosynthesis, plant evolution, and related concepts.

Photosynthesis

Process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the help of chlorophyll and other pigments.

Chloroplast

Organelles in plant cells where photosynthesis occurs, containing chlorophyll.

Rubisco

An enzyme that catalyzes the first step of the Calvin Cycle, binding RuBP to CO2 in the process of carbon fixation.

Stomata

Small openings on the surface of leaves that allow gases like CO2 and O2 to enter and exit.

NADPH

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, a high-energy electron carrier used in the Calvin Cycle.

ATP Synthase

An enzyme that creates ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate, using a proton gradient during chemiosmosis.

Calvin Cycle

A series of biochemical reactions that occur in the stroma of chloroplasts, using CO2 to create glucose.

Chemiosmosis

The process by which ATP is produced in cells through the movement of H+ ions across a membrane.

Eukaryotic Plant Cell

Cells with a nucleus and organelles, including chloroplasts, found in plants.

Transpiration

The process of water vapor loss from plants through stomata, which helps regulate water and nutrient intake.

C4 Plants

Plants that have adapted to hot, dry climates by partially separating carbon fixation and the Calvin Cycle in different cell types.

CAM Plants

Plants that open stomata at night to minimize water loss in arid conditions, fixing carbon dioxide during the day.

Photophosphorylation

The process of converting ADP to ATP using the energy from sunlight during the light reactions of photosynthesis.

Autotrophic

Organisms that produce their own food from inorganic substances; plants are autotrophs.

Electron Transport Chain (ETC)

A series of proteins in the thylakoid membrane that transfer electrons and pump protons, creating a gradient used to generate ATP.

Chlorophyll

The green pigment in plants responsible for absorbing light energy used in photosynthesis.

Xylem

Vascular tissue in plants that transports water and nutrients from roots to leaves.

Phloem

Vascular tissue in plants that transports sugars and other metabolic products downward from the leaves.

Bryophytes

Nonvascular plants, such as mosses, that require moist environments to reproduce and thrive.

Gymnosperms

A group of seed-producing plants that includes conifers, which bear seeds on cones.

Angiosperms

Flowering plants that produce seeds enclosed in ovaries, which develop into fruits.