PHOTOSYNTHESIS

The Process That Feeds the

Biosphere
 Photosynthesis
• An anabolic, endergonic, carbon dioxide
(CO2) requiring process that uses light energy
(photons) and water (H2O) to produce organic
macromolecules (glucose).

SUN
photons

6CO2 + 6H2O  C6H12O6 + 6O2

glucose
Figure 10.5

Reactants: 6 CO2 12 H2O

Products: C6H12O6 6 H2O 6 O2

• Where does photosynthesis
take place?
Figure 10.2

(b) Multicellular
(a) Plants alga

(d) Cyanobacteria
40 m
(c) Unicellular
10 m
protists

(e) Purple sulfur

1 m
bacteria
 Plants
• Autotrophs: self-producers.
• Most plant are photoautotrophs
• Location:
1. Leaves
a. stoma
b. mesophyll cells

Mesophyll Chloroplast
Stoma
Cell
 Autotrophs
vs.
Heterotrophs
 Stomata (stoma)
• Pores in a plant’s cuticle through which water
and gases are exchanged between the plant
and the atmosphere.
Oxygen
(O2)

Carbon Dioxide
(CO2) Guard Cell Guard Cell
 Mesophyll Cell

Nucleus
Cell Wall
Chloroplast

Central Vacuole
 Chloroplasts:

The Sites of Photosynthesis in

Plants
 Chloroplast

• Organelle where photosynthesis takes place.

Stroma
Outer Membrane Thylakoid Granum
Inner Membrane
 Thylakoid
Thylakoid Membrane

Thylakoid Space
Granum
Figure 10.4
Leaf cross section
Chloroplasts Vein

Mesophyll

Stomata
CO2 O2

Chloroplast Mesophyll
cell

Outer
membrane
Thylakoid Intermembrane
Stroma Granum Thylakoid space 20 m
space Inner
membrane

1 m
Figure 10.4b
Chloroplast

Outer
membrane
Thylakoid Intermembrane
Stroma Granum Thylakoid space
space Inner
membrane

1 m
 Question:
• Why are plants green?
 Chlorophyll Molecules
• Located in the thylakoid membranes.
• Chlorophyll have Mg+ in the center.
• Chlorophyll pigments harvest energy (photons)
by absorbing certain wavelengths (blue-420
nm and red-660 nm are most important).
• Plants are green because the green
wavelength is reflected, not absorbed.
 Wavelength of Light (nm)

400 500 600 700

Short wave Long wave

(more energy) (less energy)
 Absorption of Chlorophyll

Absorption

violet blue green yellow orange red

wavelength
 The Nature of Sunlight
• Light is a form of electromagnetic
energy, also called electromagnetic
radiation
• Like other electromagnetic energy, light
travels in rhythmic waves
• Wavelength is the distance between
crests of waves
• Wavelength determines the type of
electromagnetic energy
• The electromagnetic spectrum is the
entire range of electromagnetic energy,
or radiation
• Visible light consists of wavelengths
(including those that drive
photosynthesis) that produce colors we
can see
• Light also behaves as though it consists
of discrete particles, called photons
 Question:
• During the fall, what causes the leaves to
change colors?
 Fall Colors
• In addition to the chlorophyll pigments, there are
other pigments present.

• During the fall, the green chlorophyll pigments

are greatly reduced revealing the other
pigments.

• Carotenoids are pigments that are either red or

yellow.
 Redox Reaction
• The transfer of one or more electrons from
one reactant to another.

• Two types:
1. Oxidation
2. Reduction
Figure 10.UN01

Oxidation Reaction
• The loss of electrons from a substance.
• Or the gain of oxygen.

becomes reduced

Energy  6 CO2  6 H2O C6 H12 O6  6 O2

becomes oxidized
 Reduction Reaction
• The gain of electrons to a substance.
• Or the loss of oxygen.

Reduction

6CO2 + 6H2O  C6H12O6 + 6O2

glucose
Breakdown of Photosynthesis
• Two main parts (reactions).

1. Light Reaction or
Light Dependent Reaction

Produces energy from solar power

(photons) in the form of ATP and NADPH.
 Breakdown of Photosynthesis
2. Calvin Cycle or
Light Independent Reaction or
Carbon Fixation or
C3 Fixation

Uses energy (ATP and NADPH) from light

rxn to make sugar (glucose).
1. Light Reaction (Electron Flow)

• Occurs in the Thylakoid membranes

• During the light reaction, there are two

possible routes for electron flow.

A. Cyclic Electron Flow

B. Noncyclic Electron Flow
 A. Cyclic Electron Flow
• Occurs in the thylakoid membrane.
• Uses Photosystem I only
• P700 reaction center- chlorophyll a
• Uses Electron Transport Chain (ETC)
• Generates ATP only

ADP + P ATP
 A. Cyclic Electron Flow

Primary e-
SUN Electron
Acceptor

e- e- ATP
produced
Photons by ETC
P700
e-
Accessory
Pigments
Photosystem I
 B. Noncyclic Electron Flow
• Occurs in the thylakoid membrane

• Uses PS II and PS I

• P680 rxn center (PSII) - chlorophyll a

• P700 rxn center (PS I) - chlorophyll a

• Uses Electron Transport Chain (ETC)

• Generates O2, ATP and NADPH

 B. Noncyclic Electron Flow
Primary
Electron
Acceptor
2e-
Enzyme
Primary Reaction
Electron 2e-
Acceptor 2e-
ETC

SUN 2e-
2e- P700 NADPH
Photon
ATP
P680 Photon
H2O Photosystem I

1/2O2 + 2H+ Photosystem II

 B. Noncyclic Electron Flow
• ADP + P  ATP
(Reduced
)

• NADP+ + H  NADPH
(Reduced)

• Oxygen comes from the splitting of

H2O, not CO2
H 2O  1/2 O2 + 2H+
(Oxidized)
 Chemiosmosis
• Powers ATP synthesis.

• Located in the thylakoid membranes.

• Uses ETC and ATP synthase (enzyme) to

make ATP.

• Photophosphorylation: addition of
phosphate to ADP to make ATP.
 A Comparison of Chemiosmosis
in Chloroplasts and Mitochondria
• Chloroplasts and mitochondria generate ATP
by chemiosmosis, but use different sources of
energy
• Mitochondria transfer chemical energy from
food to ATP; chloroplasts transform light
energy into the chemical energy of ATP
• Spatial organization of chemiosmosis differs
between chloroplasts and mitochondria but
also shows similarities
 Chemiosmosis
SUN
H+ H+ (Proton Pumping)
Thylakoid E
PS II T PS I
C
high H+
H+ H+
concentration
H+ H+ H+ H+

Thylakoid
H+ ATP Synthase Space

low H+
ADP + P H+ ATP concentration
 Calvin Cycle
• Carbon Fixation (light independent rxn).

• Occurs in the stroma.

• Uses ATP and NADPH from light rxn.

• Uses CO2.

• To produce glucose: it takes 6 turns and

uses 18 ATP and 12 NADPH.
 Chloroplast

Stroma
Outer Membrane Thylakoid Granum
Inner Membrane
 Photorespiration
• Occurs on hot, dry, bright days.

• Stomates close.

• Fixation of O2 instead of CO2.

• Produces 2-C molecules instead of 3-C

sugar molecules.

• Produces no sugar molecules or no ATP.

 Photorespiration
• Because of photorespiration: Plants have
special adaptations to limit the effect of
photorespiration.

1. C4 plants
2. CAM plants
 3 TYPES OF
PHOTOSYNTHESIS

• 1. C3
• 2. C4
• 3. CAM
 C3
• Fix into 3 carbon molecules
• 85% plants
• Site: Mesophyll Cells
• Day and Night
• No Bundle Sheet
 C4
• Fix into 4 carbon molecules
• Site: Mesophyll Cells
• Day and Night
• Bundle Sheet
 CAM

• Similar to C4 photosynthesis
• Night only
• No Bundle Sheet
 C4 Plants
• Hot, moist environments.

• 15% of plants (grasses, corn, sugarcane).

• Divides photosynthesis spatially.

• Light rxn - mesophyll cells.

• Calvin cycle - bundle sheath cells.

 CAM Plants
• Crassulacean Acid Metabolism
• Hot, dry environments.

• 5% of plants (cactus and ice plants).

• Stomates closed during day.

• Stomates open during the night.

• Light rxn - occurs during the day.

• Calvin Cycle - occurs when CO2 is present.

 CAM Plants
Night (Stomates Open) Day (Stomates Closed)

Vacuole
C-C-C-C C-C-C-C C-C-C-C
CO2 Malate Malate
Malate

CO2
C3
C-C-C
ATP C-C-C glucose
PEP Pyruvic acid
 Question:
• Why would CAM plants close their
stomates during the day?
The Importance of
Photosynthesis
• The energy entering chloroplasts as sunlight
gets stored as chemical energy in organic
compounds
• Sugar made in the chloroplasts supplies
chemical energy and carbon skeletons to
synthesize the organic molecules of cells
• Plants store excess sugar as starch in
structures such as roots, tubers, seeds, and
fruits
• In addition to food production, photosynthesis
produces the O2 in our atmosphere