The Flow of Energy part 3

Photosynthesis
 • The range of
colours which
make up white
light and are visible
to the human eye
is called the Visible
Spectrum.
• Infrared and
Ultraviolet would
be at either end of
the spectrum and
Longest WL Shortest WL
are not visible to
humans
 Photosynthesis
• Colour is a property of light that depends
on wavelength. When light falls on an
object, some of it is absorbed and some is
reflected. The apparent color of an opaque
object depends on the wavelength of the
light that it reflects; e.g., a red object
observed in daylight appears red
because it reflects only the waves
producing red light. The color of a
transparent object is determined by the
wavelength of the light transmitted by it.
An opaque object that reflects all
wavelengths appears white; one that
absorbs all wavelengths appears black.
Chlorophyll
• The intense green
colour of
chlorophyll is due
to its strong
absorbencies in the
red and blue
regions of the
spectrum, shown in
Because of these
absorbencies the
light it reflects and
transmits appears
green.
Cartenoids
• Carotenoids: This
is a class of
accessory
pigments that
occur in all
photosynthetic
organisms..
Carotenoids absorb
light maximally
between 460 nm
and 550 nm and
appear red,
orange, or yellow
Photosynthesis
• Plants absorb a common
gas called carbon dioxide,
pull water up through their
roots and use light to make
sugar. Plants use the sugar
to grow. Plants give off
oxygen as a by-product.
The green parts of the
plant makes the sugar and
oxygen. 
• Carbon dioxide + water
+ sunlight = sugar +
oxygen
• Watch video
 The Light Reactions
• Photosynthesis is divided into 2 main sets of
reactions .
• 1. Light Reactions (Occurs in Grana)
• The purpose of the light reactions is to
change light energy into chemical energy of
ATP and NADPH.
• Light energy is absorbed and converted to
chemical energy
• Water is split into H+ ions, oxygen and
electrons
• H+ from the water are attached to carrier
co-enzymes (NADP) for use in
photosynthesis (see page 157)
 The Calvin Cycle AKA The Dark
Reactions
• (Occurs in Stroma)
• The purpose of the Calvin Cycle
is to change CO2 into sugar by
adding energy & the H+ from
ATP & NADPH.
• a) Can occur in light or dark.
• b) 6 CO2 & lots of ATP & NADPH
are needed to make one sugar
molecule.
• c) The sugar is then used for
plant growth or stored for use in