AP Bio Modules 15+16 Vocab Quiz

Reduction

A chemical reaction in which a molecule gains electrons and energy.

Oxidation

A chemical reaction in which a molecule loses electrons and energy.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)

An electron carrier in many biochemical reactions; the reducing agent used in the Calvin cycle during photosynthesis.

Photosynthetic electron transport chain

A series of redox reactions in which light energy absorbed by chlorophyll is used to power the movement of electrons; in oxygenic photosynthesis, the electrons ultimately come from water, and the terminal electron acceptor is NADP+.

Light reaction

The series of chemical reactions during photosynthesis in which the energy of sunlight is used to synthesize NADPH and ATP.

Calvin cycle

The process in which carbon dioxide is reduced to synthesize carbohydrates, with ATP and NADPH as the energy sources.

Stroma

The region of the chloroplast that surrounds the thylakoid, where the Calvin cycle takes place.

Visible light

The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum apparent to our eyes.

Reaction center

Specially configured chlorophyll molecules where light energy is converted into electron transport.

Photosystem

A protein-pigment complex that absorbs light energy to drive redox reactions and thereby sets the photosynthetic electron transport chain in motion.

ATP synthase

An enzyme that couples the movement of protons through the enzyme with the synthesis of ATP.

Photophosphorylation

The process by which energy from sunlight drives the movement of electrons along an electron transport chain, which leads to the synthesis of ATP.