Photosynthesis Cheat Sheet

Plants:
Autotrophs they make their own sugars during photosynthesis
Producers - Produce food for all other organisms
Animals:
Heterotrophs must get their sugars (carbohydrates) for energy from other
sources such as plants
Consumers Consume the food provided by plants
Sun
Ultimate source of energy because it provides the energy for the plants which
is then passed down to other organisms
Photosynthesis
The process by which plants convert the suns energy, water and carbon
dioxide to sugar and oxygen (a by-product)
Takes place in the chloroplasts

Chlorophyll is the molecule that receives the suns energy

Chloroplasts are in the mesophyll cells of the leaves and stems
(green parts) just below the surface of the leaf (or stem)
Light Reactions
In the thylakoid
Utilizes Water and Lights energy
NADPH
Produces Oxygen considered a
the
waste product since the plant
energy
doesnt use it
NADP+

Dark Reactions/Calvin Cycle

In the Stroma
Utilizes Carbon Dioxide and ATP and
from the light reactions
Produces Sugar which is used in
mitochondria to produce
ATP is converted to ADT and NADPH to
these go back to the light

reactions
ADP and NADP+ from the dark
Reactions and are recycled
We can measure the amount of photosynthesis by measuring the amount of
oxygen produced this will measure light reactions, since oxygen is a product
of the light reactions
We can measure the amount of sugar produced, which would determine the
amount of carbon dioxide taken up, and the effectiveness of the dark reactions