intro to photosynthesis
photosynthesis - releases O2, takes in CO2, occurs in plants, protists, and some bacteria
6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2
cellular respiration - releases CO2, takes in O2, occurs in humans and animals
6CO2 + C6H12O6 → 6H2O + 6CO2
autotrophs: producers, organisms that make their own food using photosynthesis, obtain carbon from inorganic molecules such as CO2
heterotrophs: consumers, organisms that get carbon from breaking down organic molecules from other organisms, usually autotrophs
photosynthesis contains many reactions that typically occur in 2 stages.
stage 1: light-dependant reactions: converts light energy to chemical energy, makes ATP
splits the water molecule, and releases O2
stage 2: light-independent reactions: runs on energy supplied by NADPH + ATP
NADPH: a product of H2O molecule on coenzyme NADP+
both are recycled to go back to the first stage
light-dependent reactions are executed by molecules located in a thylakoid membrane.
thylakoid membrane: inner membrane system that carries out light-dependant reactions in chloroplasts and cyanobacteria
folds in the membrane make disks or tuykaloids
light-independent reactions run in stroma
stroma: thick cytoplasm-like fluid that fills a chloroplast
blue and red lights fuel photosynthesis most effectively.
wavelength: distance between crests of 2 waves, measured in nanometers
visible light travels between 380-750 nm
pigment: organic molecule that absorbs light of specific wavelengths
photon: packs of energy w/ a related wavelength
pigments have a light-trapping region, a carbon chain or ring that have single bonds alternating with double bonds, so electrons can move freely amongst the atoms
can easily absorb certain photons
wavelengths that aren’t absorbed are reflected, and that reflected light makes our perception of color. the most common instance of this is chlorophyll.
photosynthesis - releases O2, takes in CO2, occurs in plants, protists, and some bacteria
6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2
cellular respiration - releases CO2, takes in O2, occurs in humans and animals
6CO2 + C6H12O6 → 6H2O + 6CO2
autotrophs: producers, organisms that make their own food using photosynthesis, obtain carbon from inorganic molecules such as CO2
heterotrophs: consumers, organisms that get carbon from breaking down organic molecules from other organisms, usually autotrophs
photosynthesis contains many reactions that typically occur in 2 stages.
stage 1: light-dependant reactions: converts light energy to chemical energy, makes ATP
splits the water molecule, and releases O2
stage 2: light-independent reactions: runs on energy supplied by NADPH + ATP
NADPH: a product of H2O molecule on coenzyme NADP+
both are recycled to go back to the first stage
light-dependent reactions are executed by molecules located in a thylakoid membrane.
thylakoid membrane: inner membrane system that carries out light-dependant reactions in chloroplasts and cyanobacteria
folds in the membrane make disks or tuykaloids
light-independent reactions run in stroma
stroma: thick cytoplasm-like fluid that fills a chloroplast
blue and red lights fuel photosynthesis most effectively.
wavelength: distance between crests of 2 waves, measured in nanometers
visible light travels between 380-750 nm
pigment: organic molecule that absorbs light of specific wavelengths
photon: packs of energy w/ a related wavelength
pigments have a light-trapping region, a carbon chain or ring that have single bonds alternating with double bonds, so electrons can move freely amongst the atoms
can easily absorb certain photons
wavelengths that aren’t absorbed are reflected, and that reflected light makes our perception of color. the most common instance of this is chlorophyll.
