Photosynthesis PDF

PHOTOSYNTHESIS PHOTOSYNTHESIS Photosynthesis: Converts solar energy into the chemical energy of a carbohydrate (glucose). Photosynthetic organisms are autotrophs, which means they make their own food/energy. Heterotrophs are consumers which means they cannot make their own food and hav...

PHOTOSYNTHESIS PHOTOSYNTHESIS Photosynthesis: Converts solar energy into the chemical energy of a carbohydrate (glucose). Photosynthetic organisms are autotrophs, which means they make their own food/energy. Heterotrophs are consumers which means they cannot make their own food and have to consume other organisms for food/ energy. PHOTOSYNTHESIS Carbon dioxide enters the leaf, then diffuses into the chloroplasts which then go through photosynthesis. In the stroma there are thylakoids which are stacked to form grana, and the thylakoid membrane contains chlorophyll that is capable of absorbing solar energy.  PHOTOSYNTHESIZERS Chlorophyll: a type of pigment that captures energy from absorbing sunlight. Two types: Chlorophyll a and b Absorbs blue and red light very well Does not absorb green light 2 SETS OF REACTIONS There are two sets of reactions that make up photosynthesis. Light Reactions (Light Dependent Reactions) Dark Reactions/Calvin Cycle Reactions (Light Independent Reactions)  Light Dependent Rxn: Solar energy is absorbed Water is split so that oxygen is released and hydrogen ions are used to produce NADPH and ATP ATP and NADPH are produced Light Independent Rxn: Carbon dioxide is absorbed Then carbon dioxide is reduced to a carbohydrate using ATP and NADPH  I’VE HEARD OF ATP, BUT…WHAT’S NADPH? Electron carrier- a molecule that “holds” electrons for use in reactions later. Electrons are needed for making bonds, so electron carriers move electrons around to make reactions easier. Like ATP, these molecules can switch back and forth between a “charged” and an “uncharged” form (they attach and detach H instead of phosphorus) Examples: NADPH, NADH, FADH2