Photosynthesis and Plant Biology

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to photosynthesis and plant biology.

Autotroph

A producer that makes its own food (e.g., plants).

Heterotroph

A consumer that eats other organisms (e.g., animals, humans).

Photosynthesis

The process by which plants use sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into glucose and oxygen.

Chlorophyll

A pigment in plants that absorbs sunlight to convert it to chemical energy.

Xylem

The vascular tissue responsible for transporting water from the roots to the leaves.

Phloem

The vascular tissue responsible for transporting sugars produced during photosynthesis.

Palisade mesophyll

The main site of photosynthesis in leaves, packed with chloroplasts.

Stomata

Pores in the leaf that allow CO₂ in and O₂ out, regulated by guard cells.

Guard cells

Cells that open and close stomata to regulate water loss and gas exchange.

Thylakoid

The membrane where light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis occur.

Grana

Stacks of thylakoids in chloroplasts that help capture light.

Stroma

The fluid in chloroplasts where the Calvin cycle takes place.

Rubisco

An enzyme that fixes CO₂ to RuBP during the Calvin cycle.

G3P

A 3-carbon sugar produced in the Calvin cycle, which can be used to make glucose.

Photolysis

The process of splitting water in the light reaction to produce electrons, hydrogen ions, and oxygen.

ATP synthase

An enzyme that helps convert ADP + Pi into ATP during chemiosmosis.