Chloroplasts & Photosynthesis

A series of flashcards covering key vocabulary related to chloroplasts and photosynthesis, aimed at preparing for an exam.

Photosynthesis

The process by which plants, algae, and some bacteria convert light energy into chemical energy, producing glucose and oxygen from carbon dioxide and water.

Chloroplast

An organelle found in plant cells and eukaryotic algae that conducts photosynthesis, containing chlorophyll and other pigments.

RuBisCO

Ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase, an enzyme that catalyzes the first step of carbon fixation in the Calvin cycle.

Thylakoid Membrane

The membrane-bound compartments inside chloroplasts where the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis take place.

Light Reactions

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

Calvin Cycle

The light-independent reactions of photosynthesis that take place in the stroma, using ATP and NADPH to fix carbon dioxide into glucose.

Chlorophyll

The green pigment found in chloroplasts, essential for the absorption of light energy during photosynthesis.

Oxidative Phosphorylation

The metabolic pathway in which cells use enzymes to oxidize nutrients, thereby releasing energy, which is used to reform ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate.

Electromagnetic Energy

Energy propagated in the form of electromagnetic waves; in photosynthesis, it refers to light energy from the sun.

Proton Gradient

A difference in proton concentration across a membrane, which can be used by ATP synthase to produce ATP during cellular respiration and photosynthesis.