Biofuels Photosynthesis

photosynthesis

Plants use the sun's energy to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugars

chloroplast

An organelle found in plant and algae cells where photosynthesis occurs

autotroph

An organism that makes its own food

heterotroph

organism that obtains energy from the foods it consumes; also called a consumer

Energy

the ability to do work, including building complex molecules

product

A substance produced in a chemical reaction

Law of Conservation of Energy

the law that states that energy cannot be created or destroyed but can be changed from one form to another

ATP

(adenosine triphosphate) main energy source that cells use for most of their work

Glucose (C6H12O6)

high-energy molecule, product of photosynthesis, food for plants and animals

Water (H2O)

A reactant for the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis - this molecule is split up to replace electrons in chlorophyll

Oxygen (O2)

produced by the plant by photosynthesis and released into the atmosphere

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

A reactant for the light-independent reactions of photosynthesis - this molecule is where the Carbon in glucose comes from

Photon

a particle of light

light-dependent reactions

reactions of photosynthesis that use energy from light to produce ATP and NADPH. Has a biproduct of Oxygen.

Light Independent Reactions (Calvin Cycle)

set of reactions in photosynthesis that do not require light; energy from ATP and NADPH is used to build high-energy compounds such as sugar; also called the Synthesis reactions

NADPH

An electron carrier involved in photosynthesis. Light drives electrons from chlorophyll to NADP+, forming NADPH, which provides the high-energy electrons for the reduction of carbon dioxide to sugar in the Calvin cycle.

covalent bond

A chemical bond that involves sharing a pair of electrons between atoms in a molecule

electron

excited by the light, carried by NADPH, and used to generate ATP

thylakoid membrane

membrane in a chloroplast where the light reactions of photosynthesis occur

Stroma

fluid portion of the chloroplast; outside of the thylakoids

Matter

Anything that has mass and takes up space

electron carrier molecules

a compound that can accept a pair of high-energy electrons and transfer them, along with most of their energy, to another molecule