BIOLOGY

Chapter 7: 111
PHOTOSYNTHESIS

1. Overview of Photosynthesis

2. The “Light” Reactions

3. The “Dark” Reactions

1. Overview of Photosynthesis
 What is Photosynthesis?
The process of converting light energy (kinetic)
into energy stored in the covalent bonds of
glucose molecules (potential).
Light
energy
6 CO2 + 6 H2O C6H12O6 + 6 O2

Carbon dioxide Water PHOTOSYNTHESIS Glucose Oxygen gas

• carried out by photoautotrophs

• plants, phytoplankton, cyanobacteria (any
photosynthetic organism)
• the basis of almost all ecosystems
• all “food energy” ultimately comes from the sun
• source of all atmospheric oxygen (O2)
Photosynthesis vs Respiration
essentially the
reverse
of each other
Photosynthesis occurs in Chloroplasts
Leaf Cross Section Mesophyll Cell

Leaf

Chloroplast

CO2 O2

Chloroplast
 The Chloroplast
outer membrane

inner membrane

stroma

thylakoid

granum
 Photosynthesis consists of
2 sets of Reactions
The light-dependent or “Light” Reactions:
H2O CO2 • convert sunlight
Chloroplast
energy into
Light
chemical energy
NADP+
(stored in ATP &
ADP
+ P NADPH)
CALVIN
LIGHT
REACTIONS
(in thylakoids)
CYCLE
(in stroma) “Dark” Reactions
El
ATP (Calvin cycle):
ec
tr o
ns NADPH
• use chemical
energy from
light reactions
O Sugar
to make glucose
2. Light-dependent
(“Light”) Reactions
Light Reactions occur in Thylakoids

A variety of
light-absorbing
pigments &
electron transport
proteins are
embedded within
the thylakoid
membrane
The Pigments absorb “Visible” Light

Chlorophyll a & b:
• the major pigments (absorb red, blue…, reflect green)
Carotenoids (e.g., β-carotene)
• accessory pigments (absorb green, blue, reflect red, yellow)
Absorption Range for each Pigment

blue red
 Chlorophyll absorbs
“non-green” light energy

Light
Reflected
light
• green light
passes on
through or
is reflected,
causing the
leaves to
appear
Absorbed
green
Chloroplast light

Transmitted
light
 H2 O ½ O2 + 2 H+ + 2 *e-
PS I
1

PS II 2
e- transport chain
(ETC) pumps H+
into thylakoid
 2 e- to
PS II 4 NADPH

PS I

3 ATP Synthase
uses H+ flow to
make ATP
Light Energy absorbed by Pigments Fuels
4 General Steps of the “Light Reactions”:

1) H2O split to O, 2 H+ & 2 high energy e- (*e-) in PS II

sunlight
H2 O O2 + H+ + *e-
2) Energy released by a series of *e- transfers is
used to generate H+ gradient
• H+ accumulates inside the thylakoid membrane

3) H+ gradient used to make ATP (chemiosmosis)

4) *e- “re-energized” in PS I, passed on to NADP+

• *e- ends up in NADPH (an electron carrier)
 Analogy of
e–
Light reactions ATP

e– e–

NADPH
e–
e–
e–

Mill

n to
makes

Pho
ATP

e–
n
Photo

Photosystem II Photosystem I
 Chloroplast
Summary of the
“Light” Reactions
Stroma (low H+ concentration)

Light H+ H+
Light
ADP + P ATP
H+

NADP+ + H+ NADPH

H+

Thylakoid
membrane

H2O H+ H+
1 H +
O2 + 2 H+ H+ H+ H+ H+
H+
2

H+
Photosystem II Electron Photosystem I ATP synthase
transport chain H+

Thylakoid space
(high H+ concentration)
3. Light-independent
(“Dark”) Reactions
 The “Dark” Reactions
A series of reactions called the Calvin cycle
that synthesize glucose from CO2 and H2O:
ATP, NADPH
CO2 + H2O C6H12O6 (glucose)
• uses energy stored in ATP and NADPH
• produced by the light reactions

• can occur in dark (doesn’t require light directly)

• also occurs during daylight!
• takes place in the stroma of chloroplasts
• outside the thylakoids
 “Dark” Reactions
Involves an anabolic
pathway known as the
Calvin cycle:
Calvin
cycle
• endergonic reactions of
this pathway are fueled by
ATP & NADPH from the
“light” reactions

Don’t • resulting sugars can be

memorize used as a source of
this!! energy or to build other
organic molecules
Summary of Photosynthesis

stroma
 Key Terms for Chapter 7
• photoautotroph
• chloroplast, thylakoid, stroma
• chlorophyll, carotenoids
• ATP, NADPH
• electron transport chain (ETC)

• ATP synthase

• Light reactions, dark reactions, Calvin cycle

Relevant Review Questions:

1-6, 8-10, 12