Basic knowledge of Photosynthesis Flashcards
What is photosynthesis ?
process in which energy in the form of light from the sun is used to build complex organic molecules such as glucose
What is light energy transferred to ?
chemical energy
What is the name given to organisms that can photosynthesise ?
autotrophic
What are heterotrophic organisms ?
obtain complex organic molecules by eating other organisms
What does carbon dioxide and water produce ?
glucose and oxygen
Where does photosynthesis take place ?
chloroplasts
What provides a large surface area in chloroplasts ?
network of membranes
Why is it important chloroplasts have large surface area ?
maximise absorption of light
What do membranes form ?
flattened sacs called thylakoids
What do thylakoids stack together to form ?
grana
What are grana joined together by ?
membranous channels called lamellae
Where are pigments found ?
embedded within thylakoid membrane
What are pigments ?
molecules that absorb wavelength of light and reflect others
What is the primary pigment in photosynthesis ?
chlorophyll a
What light does chlorophyll a reflect ?
green
Give name of other pigments that also absorb different wavelengths of light
chlorophyll b
xanthophylls
carotenoids
What forms the light harvesting system ?
other pigments and proteins
What is the role of pigments in light harvesting system ?
absorb light energy of different wavelength
transfer this energy quickly to reaction centre
What pigment is located in the reaction centre ?
chlorophyll a
What is photophosporylation ?
synthesis of ATP using energy from light
Why does photosynthesis stop when plants exposed to green light ?
green light is reflected and not absorbed which means no energy for light dependent stage
no ATP/NADP for light independent stage
