Photosynthesis and Biomass Origin in Plants - lecture 15

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to the processes of photosynthesis and concepts discussed in the lecture notes.

Photosynthesis

A process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the help of carbon dioxide and water.

Conservation of Energy and Mass

A principle stating that in a closed system, the total energy and mass remain constant over time.

Willow Experiment

An experiment by Jean Baptista van Helmont that demonstrated how a willow tree's mass primarily comes from water rather than soil.

Light Reactions

The first stage of photosynthesis where sunlight is absorbed to convert water and produce ATP and NADPH.

Calvin Cycle

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

Biomass

The total mass of living matter within a given unit of environmental area.

Oxygen Labeling Experiment

An experiment that traced the origins of oxygen produced during photosynthesis by using isotopes.

Glucose

A simple sugar that is an important energy source in living organisms and a component of many carbohydrates.

Isotope

Variants of a particular chemical element which differ in neutron number.

Redox Process

A type of reaction in which there is a transfer of electrons between two species, fundamental to photosynthesis.

Stomata

Small openings on the surface of leaves that allow for gas exchange.