Photosynthesis ● Some organisms, known as producers, use energy from the sun to make organic molecules ● Autotroph- organism that gets energy by making it out of light or chemicals ● Heterotroph- organism that gets its energy by eating other organisms ● Plants are producers and use energy from the sun to make glucose out of atmospheric CO2 ● Photosynthesis- process by which light energy is converted to chemical energy ● Takes place in the chloroplast
● Chlorophyll- molecule that absorbs light energy in the
chloroplast 2 steps in photosynthesis 1. Light-dependent reactions- captures energy from sunlight to make O2, energy carrying molecules, and ATP 2. Light- independent reactions- use energy made in light-dependent reactions to make sugars from CO2; also called the Calvin cycle I expect you to know where the processes happen, what goes IN, and what goes OUT Overall reaction: 6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2 Notice how it is the cellular respiration equation BACKWARDS! ● Plants are producers ● One of the main sources of energy for most organisms on Earth ● The energy for almost all organisms begins as sunlight ● Light energy comes from the sun ● Sunlight includes several kinds of energy, such as ultraviolet radiation, microwaves, and the visible light spectrum ● Visible light appears white but is made of several colors/wavelengths of light ● The process that captures energy from sunlight to make sugars that store chemical energy is called photosynthesis ● Photosynthesis- process by which light energy is converted to chemical energy; produces sugar and oxygen from carbon dioxide and water ● Plants absorb visible light for photosynthesis ● Photosynthesis occurs in the chloroplast of plant cells ● The molecule in the chloroplast that absorbs the energy in visible light is called chlorophyll ● 2 types of chlorophyll in plants: chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b ● Chlorophyll absorbs mostly red and blue wavelengths of light, NOT green light ● The green color of plants comes from the reflection of the wavelength of light that shows green ● Plants absorb red/blue light, reflect green light ● Most chloroplasts are in leaf cells ● The 2 main parts of the chloroplast needed for photosynthesis are the grana (singular: granum) and the stroma ● Grana are stacks of structures called thylakoids ● Thylakoids are coin shaped, membrane-enclosed compartments ● Thylakoids contain chlorophyll, light-absorbing molecules, and proteins ● The inside of the thylakoid is called the lumen ● Grana are surrounded by a fluid called the stroma Overall reaction for photosynthesis: 6CO2 + 6H2O + light → C6H12O6 + 6O2 1. Light-dependent reactions ● Depends on the presence of light to occur ● If there’s no light, there’s no light-dependent reactions ● “Photo” part of photosynthesis ● Happens across the thylakoid membrane ● Chlorophyll captures energy from sunlight ● Water molecules are broken down to make hydrogen ions, electrons, and oxygen gas ● Main function of the light-dependent reactions is to capture and transfer energy Summary of Light-dependent Reactions ● Energy is captured from sunlight by light-absorbing molecules (chlorophyll). The energy is transferred to electrons that enter the electron transport chain ● Water molecules are broken down into H+ ions, electrons, and O2 molecules ● Energized electrons provide energy for H+ ion transport and are added to NADP+ to form NADPH ● The flow of H+ ions through ATP synthase makes ATP ● Where is happens: across the thylakoid membrane ● What goes in: electrons and water ● What goes out: oxygen, NADPH, and ATP 2.Light-independent reactions ● Also called the Calvin Cycle ● Does not need sunlight to occur ● Can happen any time that energy from the light- dependent reactions is available ● Energy sources are ATP and NADPH ● Uses carbon dioxide and energy to make simple sugars ● “Synthesis” part of photosynthesis Summary of Light-independent Reactions (Calvin Cycle) ● Carbon dioxide enters the Calvin cycle ● ATP and NADPH from the light-dependent reactions transfer energy to the Calvin and keeps the cycle going ● One high-energy 3-carbon molecule is made for every three molecules of carbon dioxide that enter the cycle ● Two high-energy 3-carbon molecules are bonded together to make a sugar. 6 molecules of carbon dioxide must be added to the Calvin cycle to make one 6-carbon sugar ● Where it happens: in the stroma ● What goes in: CO2, ATP, and NADPH ● What goes out: a sugar, NADP+, and ADP