Primary Production of Energy

Adenosine diphosphate (ADP)

 A half charged cell battery with two phosphates. Adding a third phosphate charges it back up.

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)

A fully charged cell battery with three phosphates. It gives off energy when it drops its last phosphate.

ATP Synthase

A tiny cell machine that spins to attach a phosphate onto ADP, making ATP.

Autotroph

Anything that makes its own food using sunlight, like plants.

Calvin Cycle

The step in photosynthesis that turns carbon dioxide into simple sugars.

Chlorophyll

The green stuff in plants that absorbs sunlight.

Electron Transport Chain

A team of proteins that passes high-energy electrons down a line to help make ATP.

Heterotroph

Anything that has to eat other living things to get energy, like animals.

Light-dependent Reactions

The first step of photosynthesis that uses sunlight and water to make energy and oxygen.

Light-independent Reactions

The second step of photosynthesis that uses stored energy to turn carbon dioxide into sugar.

NADP+

A molecule that carries high energy electrons around the cell.

Phosphorylation

Adding a phosphate group onto a molecule.

Photolysis

Using light to break apart water molecules.

Photosynthesis

How plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make sugar and energy.

Photosystem

Clusters of pigments in leaves that catch sunlight.

Pigment

Any natural chemical that absorbs light and gives color.

Stroma

The fluid inside a chloroplast where sugar gets made.

Thylakoid

Little membrane pouches inside a chloroplast where light gets caught.