Photosynthesis Lecture Notes

Vocabulary flashcards covering the phases and chemical reactions of photosynthesis, including photophosphorylation and photolysis.

Photosynthesis

The biological process, consisting of light-dependent and light-independent phases, used by plants to produce glucose ($C_{6}H_{12}O_{6}$).

Light-dependent phase

The phase of photosynthesis that requires light to produce energy-rich molecules, specifically $ATP$ and $NADPH + H^{+}$ (or $NADPH_{2}$).

Light-independent phase

The phase of photosynthesis, also known as the dark phase, where glucose ($C_{6}H_{12}O_{6}$) is synthesized.

Photophosphorylation

The process occurring in the light-dependent phase where $ATP$ is produced from $ADP$ and inorganic phosphate ($P_{i}$) using light energy and chlorophyll, represented by the equation $ADP + P_{i} \xrightarrow[\text{chlorophyll}]{\text{light}} ATP$.

Photolysis

The process of using light energy to split water ($H_{2}O$) into hydrogen ions ($2H^{+}$), oxygen ($\frac{1}{2}O_{2}$), and electrons ($2e^{-}$).

By-product (Oxygen)

$O_{2}$ is released as a by-product during the photolysis of water in the light-dependent phase of photosynthesis.

$$\text{NADPH} + H^{+}$$

An energy-carrying molecule produced during the light-dependent phase of photosynthesis along with $ATP$.