photosynthesis

chloroplast

An organelle found in plant and algae cells where photosynthesis occurs

photosynthesis equation

6CO2 + 12H2O + light energy --> C6H12O6 + 6O2 + 6H2O

pigments

molecules that absorb, reflect, or transmit light.

chlorophyll reflects and transmits green light

chlorophyll reflects and transmits green lightleaves are green because

absorbtion spectrum

a graph plotting a pigment's light absorption vs wavelength

Chlorophyll a

A type of blue-green photosynthetic pigment that participates directly in the light reactions.

chlorophyll b

An accessory photosynthetic pigment that transfers energy to chlorophyll a.

Photosystem

consist of a reaction center complex (protein) surrounded by light harvesting complexes

light-harvesting complex

A complex of proteins associated with pigment molecules (including chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids) that captures light energy and transfers it to reaction-center pigments in a photosystem.

primary e- acceptor

molecule capable of accepting e- and becoming reduced

thylakoid membrane

membrane in a chloroplast where the light reactions of photosynthesis occur

photosystem ll

functions first and is the best at absorbing a wavelength of 680 nm (P680)

photosystem l

(P700) occurs 2nd

linear electron flow

the primary pathway, involves both photosystems and produces ATP and NADPH using light energy

photon

A particle of electromagnetic radiation with no mass that carries a quantum of energy

cyclic electron flow

uses only photosystem I and produces ATP, but not NADPH

Chemiosmosis

A process for synthesizing ATP using the energy of an electrochemical gradient and the ATP synthase enzyme.

light reactions

reactions of photosynthesis that use energy from light to produce ATP and NADPH

Calvin Cycle

reactions of photosynthesis in which energy from ATP and NADPH is used to build high-energy compounds such as sugars

glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate (G3P)

glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate (G3PCarbon enters the cycle as CO2 and leaves as a sugar named

the cycle must take place three times, fixing 3 molecules of CO2

For net synthesis of 1 G3P

carbon fixation, reduction, regeneration of CO2 acceptor

The Calvin cycle has three phases

CO2, 6 NADPH, 6 ATP

reactant of calvin cycle

G3P

product of calvin cycle