Photosynthesis: Light Reaction Event

photosynthesis

A biological process utilized by green plants, algae, and some bacteria, where light energy is captured and converted into chemical energy, resulting in the formation of glucose (a type of sugar) and oxygen from carbon dioxide and water.

Heterotrophs

Organisms that cannot produce their own food and instead must obtain nutrients by consuming other organisms, including plants and animals.

Autotrophs

Organisms capable of producing their own food through processes such as photosynthesis or chemosynthesis, utilizing inorganic substances to synthesize organic compounds.

Chloroplasts

Organelles found in plant cells and some algae that contain the pigment chlorophyll, which absorbs light energy for photosynthesis.

mesophyll

The inner tissue of a leaf, primarily composed of chloroplast-containing cells, where most of the photosynthesis occurs.

stomata

Microscopic openings located on the leaf surface that facilitate gas exchange, allowing carbon dioxide to enter and oxygen to exit the plant.

stroma

The semi-fluid matrix found within chloroplasts, surrounding the thylakoids, where the Calvin cycle reactions of photosynthesis occur.

thylakoids

Membranous structures within chloroplasts arranged in stacks, responsible for capturing light energy during the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis.

grana

Stacked formations of thylakoids within the chloroplasts, where light-dependent reactions take place.

photosystems

Complexes of proteins and pigments in the thylakoid membrane that capture light energy and initiate the process of photosynthesis.

electromagnetic radiation

A form of energy emitted by the sun, which includes visible light, that travels in waves and is essential for photosynthesis.

light-dependent reaction

The initial phase of photosynthesis that occurs in the thylakoid membranes, where light energy is converted into chemical energy in the form of ATP and NADPH.

Calvin cycle

The set of light-independent reactions in photosynthesis occurring in the stroma of chloroplasts, where ATP and NADPH are utilized to convert carbon dioxide into glucose.

chemiosmosis

A process whereby the movement of hydrogen ions (protons) across a membrane generates ATP through the ATP synthase enzyme, driven by a concentration gradient.