7.

8 In the light reactions, electron transport chains generate ATP and NADPH
Nick Belezos, Raadiya Qadeer, Jackie Faulkner

Overview
Light energy is changed into chemical energy of ATP and NADPH Energy is moved from water to NADP+, passing through photosystem 2 and then 1 on the way In between these Photosystems electrons move down an electron transport chain and in the process provide energy for ATP. This is similar to cellular respiration in the sense that they both use the electron transport chain

Steps 1 and 2
A photon of light is absorbed by a pigment molecule in a light-harvesting complex. The energy is passed to other pigment molecules and then to the reaction center of Photosystem II, where it excites an electron of chlorophyll P680 to a higher energy level. The primary electron acceptor captures this electron.

Steps 3 and 4
To replace electrons lost to the primary electron acceptor, water is split and one by one electrons are supplied to P680. The oxygen atom combines with another oxygen atom to form O2 Photoexcited electrons pass from photosystem II to photosystem I through and electron transport chain. Energy for the synthesis of ATP is provided by the exergonic "fall" of electrons.

Steps 5 and 6
In the reaction center of photosystem I, an electron of chlorophyll P700 is excited by light energy. An electron from the bottom of the electron transport chain replaces the electron lost in P700 when the excited electron is captured by the primary electron acceptor. This excited electron is passed through a shorter electron transport chain, arriving at NADP+ and reducing it to NADPH.

Presented here is a mechanical analogy to help you better understand these concepts. The yellow mallets represent a light energy input. This boosts the blue electrons up to the excited state. The lady on top of Photosystem 2 is a primary acceptor. The mill in the middle is where ATP is made. Another energy input takes place and sends the blue electron up to the man on top of Photosystem 1. He is another primary acceptor and hands off the electron NADPH which is the action that reduces NADP+ to NADPH.

What are the products of light reactions?

1. NADPH 2. ATP 3. Oxygen