Photosynthesis and the Calvin Cycle

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to photosynthesis and the Calvin Cycle, essential for understanding plant biology.

Photosynthesis

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

Chloroplast

Organelles in plant cells where photosynthesis occurs, containing chlorophyll.

Autotrophs

Organisms that produce their own food using inorganic substances; includes plants.

Heterotrophs

Organisms that cannot produce their own food and must consume organic material.

Light-dependent reactions

The first stage of photosynthesis where light energy is converted into chemical energy (ATP and NADPH).

Calvin Cycle

The second stage of photosynthesis where ATP and NADPH are used to convert CO2 into glucose.

Rubisco

The enzyme that catalyzes the first step of the Calvin Cycle, fixing carbon dioxide by combining it with RuBP.

ATP

Adenosine triphosphate, the main energy currency of the cell.

NADPH

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, an electron carrier in photosynthesis.

Thylakoid

Membrane-bound compartments inside chloroplasts where the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis occur.

Granum

A stack of thylakoids within a chloroplast.

Photon

A particle of light that provides the energy needed for photosynthesis.

Carbon Fixation

The process of converting CO2 into organic compounds, initiated in the Calvin Cycle.

Photosynthetic Pigments

Molecules that absorb specific wavelengths of light for photosynthesis; includes chlorophyll.

Stomata

Pores on the leaf surface that allow gas exchange (CO2 in, O2 out).

Oxygen (O2) Production

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