1. Food Supply, Plant Growth and productivity - Photosynthesis Flashcards
Photosynthesis traps light energy to do what?
Produce carbohydrates
What do photosynthetic pigments absorb?
Particular wavelengths of light
What can two things can happen to the light absorbed?
It can be reflected or transmitted
What does the energy captured by photosynthetic pigments generate and what is it used for?
It generates ATP which is used for photosynthesis
What does an absorption spectrum show?
The ‘amount’ of light energy absorbed by a pigment at each wavelength`
What colours do the absorption spectra for chlorophyll A and B peak in?
Red and blue
What colour does the absorption spectrum for cartenoids peak in?
Blue
What can the absorption spectra of chlorophyll A and B and cartenoids be compared to?
The action spectra
What are the functions of cartenoids?
To extend the range of wavelengths absorbed by photosynthesis and pass the energy to chlorophyll
What does the action spectrum of photosynthesis show?
Plants can photosynthesise at many wavelengths but is most effective in red and blue
What state are electrons in when light is absorbed by a pigment molecule?
They are excited
When is the energy from the excited electrons released?
When the high energy electrons are transferred through electron transport chains to generate ATP by ATP synthase.
Water is split into oxygen and hydrogen during photolysis and the hydrogen is transferred to the coenzyme NADP
