PHOTOSYNTHESI

S
 PHOTOSYNTHESIS
 Process where energy from light is used to make glucose from water
and carbon dioxide is converted to chemical energy

 6CO2 + 6H2O  C₆H12O₆

 2 types of photosynthesis:
(i) Light-Dependent Reaction
(ii) Light-Independent Reaction
 PHOTOSYNTHESIS

Light-Dependent Light-Independent
Reaction: Reaction:
Needs light energy Doesn’t use light but rely
Takes place in the on the product of light-
tylakoid membrane of the dependent reaction
chloroplast Takes place in the stroma
of the chloroplast

Calvin Cycle
Cyclic Non-cyclic
Photophosph Photophosphoryl
orylation ation
CYCLIC PHOTOPHOSPHORYLATION

ADP + Pi

ATP
 CYCLIC PHOTOPHOSPHORYLATION

Light is absorbed by PS1 & passed to chlorophyll a (P700)

Electrons in the chlorophyll a is excited to a higher energy

level
Captured by electron acceptor & passed back to
chlorophyll a via chain of electron carriers

ATP is passed to Light-Independent Reaction

NON-CYCLIC PHOTOPHOSPHORYLATION
NON-CYCLIC
PHOTOPHOSPHORYLATION
 Light is absorbed by both PS (PS1 & PS2) & excited electrons are
emitted from the primary pigment of both reaction centres (P680 &
P700)

 Electrons is absorbed by electron acceptor & pass

along chain of electron carriers leaving the PS
positively charged
NON-CYCLIC
PHOTOPHOSPHORYLATION
 The PS1 absorb electrons from PS2

 PS2 receives replacement electrons from splitting

(photolysis) of water

 ATP is synthesized as the electrons lose energy while

passing along the carrier chain
CALVIN CYCLE
CALVIN CYCLE

CO₂ fixation:

CO₂ + RuBP rubisco 2 mol of TP

GP in the presence of ATP and NADPH₂ (from light – dependent

reaction), reduced to TP

TP (3 carbon) combine to form a 6 carbon hexose sugar that

polymerizes to produce starch
ACTION SPECTRUM OF
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
TRANSFER OF ENERGY TO ATP
DURING PHOTOSYNTHESIS
Light absorbed by chlorophyll
Ref. harvesting clusters / acessory pigments
Reactions centre
Excitation of electrons
Electron transport chain
Ideas of different energy levels
ADP + Pi  ATP
Cyclic / non-cyclic photophosphorylation
Chemiosmosis / ATP synthase
HOW ATP IS FORMED IN
THE CHLOROPLAST
• Electrons flow along the electron transport chain
• H ions is pumpd across thylakoid membrane down proton gradient via
ATPase
• ATP is formed from ADP and Pi
• For cyclic photophosphorylation, electrons returns to original
photosystem
• For non-cyclic photophosphorylation, electrons from PS II moves to PS
I
ATP
HOW NADP IS FORMED IN
LIGHT-DEPENDENT STAGE OF
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
Photolysis of water
Release H ions
By photosystem II
Electrons released by photosystem I
Both combine with NADP
HOW NADP IS USED IN LIGHT-
INDEPENDENT STAGE OF
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
• Reduced NADP reduces GP to TP
• ATP is used
• NADP is regenerated / oxidised
ROLE OF NADP IN PHOTOSYNTHESIS

As a coenzyme
Reduced
Carries proton and high energy electrons
From photosystem – light stage
From thylakoid membrane
To stroma (Calvin cycle) Regeneration of NADP
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

 Explain that energy transferred as light is used during

photosynthesis to produce complex organic molecules
and that the process of respiration allows this energy
to be transferred through chemical reactions so that it
can be used by living organisms

 Describe the photoactivation of chlorophyll resulting in

the photolysis of water and in the transfer of energy to
ATP and reduced NADP (cyclic and non-cyclic
photophosphorylation should be described in outline
only)
 LEARNING OUTCOMES:

 Describe the uses of ATP and reduced NADP in the light –

independent stage of photosynthesis

 Describe in outline the Calvin cycle involving the light-

independent fixation of carbon dioxide by combination with a
5C compound (RuBP) to yield two molecules of a 3C compound
GP (PGA0, and the conversion of GP into carbohydrates, lipids
and amino acids (the regeneration of RuBP should be
understood in outline only; and a knowledge of CAM plants or
the biochemistry of C4 plants is not required)
LEARNING OUTCOMES:

*Describe the structure of a dicotyledonous leaf, a

palisade cell and a chloroplast and relate their
structures to theirs roles in photosynthesis.
*Discuss limiting factors in photosynthesis and carry out investigations on
the effects of light intensity and wavelength, carbon dioxide and
temperature on the rate of photosynthesis
*Discuss the role of chloroplast pigments in absorption and action
spectra, and separate them using chromatography .

Use the knowledge gained in this section in new situations or

to solve related problems