Bio 1A midterm 1, from notes

Photosynthesis

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

Calvin-Benson Cycle

A set of chemical reactions that take place in chloroplasts during photosynthesis, using carbon dioxide, ATP, and NADPH to synthesize glucose.

NADP+

An electron carrier that becomes reduced to NADPH during the light reactions of photosynthesis.

Stroma

The fluid-filled space surrounding the thylakoids in a chloroplast, where the Calvin Cycle occurs.

Thylakoid

Flattened membrane sacs inside a chloroplast where the light reactions of photosynthesis take place.

Photophosphorylation

The process of converting light energy into chemical energy in the form of ATP during the light reactions of photosynthesis.

RuBP

Ribulose bisphosphate, a five-carbon sugar that reacts with CO2 during carbon fixation in the Calvin Cycle.

G3P

Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate, a three-carbon molecule produced in the Calvin Cycle that can be converted into glucose.

Photorespiration

A process occurring in plants when oxygen is fixed instead of carbon dioxide, leading to a waste of energy and reduced photosynthesis.

C4 Plants

Plants that use a modified photosynthetic pathway to minimize photorespiration and efficiently use CO2 in hot climates.

CAM Plants

Plants that open their stomata at night and fix CO2 into organic acids to minimize water loss during the day.

Electron Transport Chain

A series of electron carrier proteins that transfer electrons and pump protons across the thylakoid membrane, generating ATP and NADPH.

Chemiosmosis

The process by which ATP is produced in the chloroplast by the movement of protons through ATP synthase, utilizing the proton gradient created by the electron transport chain.

Carotenoids

Pigments found in plants that absorb light in the blue and green wavelengths, reflecting yellow and orange light.

Oxygen

A byproduct of photosynthesis released during the light reactions when water is split.

ATP Synthase

An enzyme that generates ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate using the proton gradient created during electron transport.

Light Reactions

The first stage of photosynthesis, where sunlight is converted into chemical energy in the form of ATP and NADPH.

Carbon Fixation

The incorporation of CO2 into organic molecules during the Calvin Cycle.

Rubisco

Ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase, the enzyme that catalyzes the first step of the Calvin Cycle.

Fermentation

A metabolic process that converts sugar to acids, gases, or alcohol in the absence of oxygen, resulting in a small yield of ATP.

Anaerobic Respiration

A form of respiration using electron acceptors other than oxygen, common in some bacteria and archaea.