Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the process where organisms capture energy from the sun and transform it into chemical energy?
What is the process where organisms capture energy from the sun and transform it into chemical energy?
Photosynthesis
What type of organism makes its own energy-rich food compounds using the sun's energy?
What type of organism makes its own energy-rich food compounds using the sun's energy?
Producer
Which term describes organisms that make their own food?
Which term describes organisms that make their own food?
Which term describes organisms that use solar energy for their energy needs?
Which term describes organisms that use solar energy for their energy needs?
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Which term describes organisms that use different chemical processes to obtain energy?
Which term describes organisms that use different chemical processes to obtain energy?
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What type of organism obtains its energy from consuming other organisms?
What type of organism obtains its energy from consuming other organisms?
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Which term describes organisms that must take in food to meet their energy needs?
Which term describes organisms that must take in food to meet their energy needs?
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What is the region on the surface of Earth and in the atmosphere where living organisms exist?
What is the region on the surface of Earth and in the atmosphere where living organisms exist?
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What stage of photosynthesis involves light energy being absorbed by chlorophyll and converted into ATP and NADPH?
What stage of photosynthesis involves light energy being absorbed by chlorophyll and converted into ATP and NADPH?
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What stage of photosynthesis, also known as the Calvin cycle, involves using ATP and NADPH to synthesize carbohydrates?
What stage of photosynthesis, also known as the Calvin cycle, involves using ATP and NADPH to synthesize carbohydrates?
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What organelle in plants and algae carries out photosynthesis?
What organelle in plants and algae carries out photosynthesis?
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What are pigments that absorb some light energy and reflect others called?
What are pigments that absorb some light energy and reflect others called?
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What type of graph plots a pigment's light absorption as a function of the light's wavelength?
What type of graph plots a pigment's light absorption as a function of the light's wavelength?
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What type of graph plots the rate of photosynthesis as a function of the wavelength of light?
What type of graph plots the rate of photosynthesis as a function of the wavelength of light?
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Which photosystem primarily works to make NADPH?
Which photosystem primarily works to make NADPH?
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Which of these is the first step in photosynthesis?
Which of these is the first step in photosynthesis?
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What is the zigzag shape of the energy curve used to perform work in photosynthesis called?
What is the zigzag shape of the energy curve used to perform work in photosynthesis called?
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What is the term for a linear process of electron flow beginning at PSII and ultimately transferring to NADPH?
What is the term for a linear process of electron flow beginning at PSII and ultimately transferring to NADPH?
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What is the term for the process where electrons cycle, releasing energy that drives ATP synthesis?
What is the term for the process where electrons cycle, releasing energy that drives ATP synthesis?
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What cycle involves three phases: carbon fixation, reduction and carbohydrate production, and regeneration of RuBP?
What cycle involves three phases: carbon fixation, reduction and carbohydrate production, and regeneration of RuBP?
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What enzyme is involved in the first major step of carbon fixation?
What enzyme is involved in the first major step of carbon fixation?
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What type of plant evolved a mechanism to minimize photorespiration?
What type of plant evolved a mechanism to minimize photorespiration?
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What type of plant separates processes using time, opening stomata at night?
What type of plant separates processes using time, opening stomata at night?
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What are tiny openings or pores in plant tissue where gas exchange occurs?
What are tiny openings or pores in plant tissue where gas exchange occurs?
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What is the product formed during the Calvin cycle?
What is the product formed during the Calvin cycle?
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What structure in chloroplasts contains pigments that are excited by light?
What structure in chloroplasts contains pigments that are excited by light?
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What membrane in chloroplasts contains pigment molecules and is involved in the light reactions of photosynthesis?
What membrane in chloroplasts contains pigment molecules and is involved in the light reactions of photosynthesis?
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What is a stack of thylakoids called?
What is a stack of thylakoids called?
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What is the fluid-filled region between the thylakoid membrane and the inner membrane of a chloroplast called?
What is the fluid-filled region between the thylakoid membrane and the inner membrane of a chloroplast called?
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Study Notes
Photosynthesis Overview
- Photosynthesis is a process where organisms capture solar energy and convert it into chemical energy.
- Producers, or autotrophs, are organisms that make their own food using solar energy (phototrophs) in photosynthesis or chemical energy (chemotrophs).
- Consumers, or heterotrophs, obtain energy by consuming other organisms.
- The biosphere encompasses regions on Earth where life exists.
Photosynthesis Processes
- Light reactions: Absorb light energy, which is then converted to ATP and NADPH.
- Dark reactions (Calvin cycle): Use ATP and NADPH (made in light reactions) to form carbohydrates.
- Chloroplasts house this process; the thylakoid membrane holds pigment molecules. Grana are stacks of thylakoids, and stroma is the surrounding fluid.
Photosynthetic Pigments and Light
- Photosynthetic pigments capture light energy. They absorb some wavelengths and reflect others, creating the color we see.
- Absorption spectra show pigment light absorption as a function of wavelength; action spectra plot the rate of photosynthesis at different wavelengths.
- Photosystems I and II initiate the electron flow.
Electron Transport Chain and ATP Production
- The Z scheme illustrates the energy exchange during noncyclic electron flow, where electrons move from Photosystem II to Photosystem I, then to NADPH, a linear process.
- Cyclic electron flow involves electrons cycling to regenerate ATP.
Calvin Cycle Details
- This cycle involves three phases: carbon fixation, reduction, and regeneration of RuBP.
- RuBisCO is a key enzyme in the initial carbon fixation step.
- The product of the Calvin Cycle is glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G3P), a precursor to glucose.
Adaptations to Environments
- C4 plants use a mechanism to reduce photorespiration.
- CAM plants separate processes in time by opening stomata at night.
- Stomata are pores in plant leaves, crucial for gas exchange (carbon dioxide uptake and oxygen release).
Key Structures in Chloroplasts
- Light-harvesting complexes capture light energy within the thylakoid membrane.
- The thylakoid membrane is where the light-dependent reactions occur.
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Description
This quiz covers the fundamentals of photosynthesis, including the roles of autotrophs and heterotrophs in energy conversion. It delves into the light and dark reactions, and the importance of chloroplasts and pigments in capturing solar energy. Test your knowledge of how plants produce their own food and sustain life on Earth.