Photosynthesis

and
Cellular Respiration
for Dummies
(charot lang HAHAHA! Joke lang, ayan mas pinadali.)
• Autotroph
– can create their own food
(producers)

• Heterotroph
– cannot create their own
food (consumers)
Photosynthesis -> chloroplast (thylakoid and stroma)
2 Processes of Photosynthesis
• Light Dependent Reactions (Light Reactions)
- “photo”
- takes place in the thylakoid

• Light Independent Reactions (Dark Reactions/Calvin Cycle)

- “synthesis”
- takes place in the stroma
 • OXIDATION – loss of electrons of a substrate
examples:
NADPH when it losses electrons, will become NADP
NADH when it losses electrons, will become NAD

TERMS TO * H is being removed as the electrons are removed from the

substrate

REMEMBER: • REDUCTION – gain of electrons of a substrate

examples:
NADP when it gains electrons, will become NADPH
NAD when it gains electrons, will become NADH
* H is being added as the electrons are added from the substrate
1. Light Dependent Reactions
• happens in the thylakoid
• cannot occur without light
• comprised of an electron transport chain system
• requires the enzyme ATP synthase to produce ATP

Inputs/Reactants:
• sunlight (absorbed by
chlorophyll)
• H2O (source of electrons)
• NADP (accepts electrons at the
end )
• ADP + P (will become ATP through
the enzyme ATP synthase)
Outputs/Products:
• ATP (will proceed to the stroma for
light independent reactions)
• NADPH (will proceed to the stroma for
light independent reactions)
• O2 (will proceed to the stomata for
release to the environment)
 2. Light Independent Reactions/ Calvin Cycle
• happens in the stroma
• can occur without light
• does not require the enzyme ATP synthase to produce ATP
• considered a cycle since it ends with the regeneration of the starting molecule: RuBP

Inputs/Reactants:
• ATP (from thylakoid, product of
Light Dependent Reaction, used as
energy source)
• NADPH (from thylakoid, product
of Light Dependent Reaction, source
of electrons)
• CO2 (absorbed from the
environment through the stomata)
Outputs/Products:
• glucose (its precursor molecule is G3P, a 3-carbon
molecule. It takes 3 turns of Calvin Cycle to make one
molecule of G3P)
• ADP + P (will go back to the thylakoid to be used again
for light dependent reactions)
• NADP (will go back to the thylakoid to be used again
for light dependent reactions)
REMEMBER! 6 turns of Calvin Cycle creates 1 glucose
example: To create 6 molecules of glucose, it will take 36
turns of Calvin Cycle.
Focus on inputs and outputs! Inputs are also called reactants;
outputs are also called products.
 Cellular Respiration – MITOCHONDRIA is the main organ involved!
Major Reactants: glucose and oxygen (O2) (delivered through the bloodstream)
Major Products: carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (removed through the bloodstream)
ATP (used as energy source by the cell)

3 Pathways of Cellular Respiration:

1. Glycolysis – cytoplasm
2. Krebs Cycle – matrix of the
mitochondria
3. Electron Transport Chain – cristae/folds
of the mitochondria
1. Glycolysis
• breakdown of glucose begins here
• happens in the cytoplasm
• can occur with (aerobic) or without oxygen (anaerobic/fermentation)
• ends with 2 pyruvate molecules, 2 NADH as a result of substrate reduction & 2 ATP

Inputs/Reactants:
• glucose (from the
bloodstream)
• 2 ATP (required in order to
break glucose into two)
• NAD (electron acceptor)
• ADP + P (will become ATP)
Outputs/Products:
• 2 ATP (stay in the cytoplasm to be used by
the cell as a source of energy)
• 2 pyruvates/pyruvic acid (will proceed to
mitochondria for Krebs Cycle)
• 2 NADH (will proceed to mitochondria for
Electron Transport Chain)
2. Krebs Cycle
• happens in the matrix of mitochondria
• cannot occur without oxygen (strictly aerobic)
• ends with 6 carbon dioxide molecules, 8 NADH and 2 FADH2 as a result of
substrate reduction & 2 ATP
• considered a cycle since it ends with the regeneration of the starting
molecule: oxaloacetate

Inputs/Reactants:
• 2 pyruvates (from glycolysis)
• O2 (from the bloodstream)
• NAD (electron acceptor)
• FAD (electron acceptor)
• ADP + P (will become ATP)
Outputs/Products:
• 2 ATP (stay in the mitochondria to be
used by the cell as a source of energy)
• 8 NADH (will proceed to Electron
Transport Chain)
• 2 FADH2 (will proceed to Electron
Transport Chain)
• 6 CO2 (will be released by the body)
3. Electron Transport Chain
• yield most of the ATP
• happens in the cristae/folds of mitochondria
• cannot occur without oxygen (strictly aerobic)
• comprised of an electron transport chain system
• ends with water molecules & 32/34 ATP

Inputs/Reactants:
• 10 NADH (2 from Glycolysis; 8
from Krebs Cycle)
• 2 FADH2 (2 from Krebs Cycle)
• O2 (will act as final electron
acceptor)
• ADP + P (will become ATP)
Outputs/Products:
• 32/34 ATP (stay in the
mitochondria to be used by the
cell as a source of energy)
• H2O (when O2 accepts
electrons plus H)
TOTAL NUMBER OF ATP:
• Glycolysis 2 ATP
• Krebs Cycle 2 ATP
• Electron Transport Chain 32/34 ATP
36 or 38 ATP
1 NADH = 3 ATP
1 FADH2 = 2 ATP

10 NADH x 3 = 30 ATP
2 FADH2 = 4 ATP
Why 36 or 38?
• Depends on which shuttle that is used to transport the electrons (NADH) from
glycolysis (cytoplasm) into the electron transport chain (mitochondria).

• If malate-aspartate shuttle is used, then 38 ATP will be produced.

(trades cytoplasmic NADH for mitochondrial NADH)

• If the phosphero-glycerol shuttle was used, you get 36 ATP.

(trades cytoplasmic NADH for mitochondrial FADH2).

• NADH yields 3 ATP which would result to 38 ATP if malate shuttle is used.
• FADH2 yields 2 ATP resulting to 36 ATP if the phosphero-glycerol shuttle is used.
Examples:

1. If 6 molecules of glucose entered the cell, using the phosphero-

glycerol shuttle, how many ATP are produced?
6 x 36 = 216 ATP

2. If 10 molecules of glucose entered the cell, using the malate-

aspartate shuttle, how many ATP are produced?
10 x 38 = 380 ATP
• Anaerobic Respiration (w/o oxygen)
- only possible in GLYCOLYSIS
- the pyruvic acid/pyruvates produced after
glycolysis is converted to lactic acid that is
deposited to the muscles which causes
muscle sore
- 2 ATP are produced during anaerobic
respiration.

Example: If 20 molecules of glucose entered

the cell, using anaerobic respiration, how
many ATP are produced?
20 x 2 = 40 ATP (2 ATP only are produced
during glycolysis)

• Krebs Cycle and Electron Transport Chain

occurs in the mitochondria (mitochondria
cannot function w/o oxygen), thus Krebs
Cycle and ETC are strictly aerobic
respiration.
Cellular Respiration
Photosynthesis vs. Cellular Respiration