Chapter 7 Photosynthesis Flashcards
Photosyntesis
The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods from Carbon Dioxide and water.
Formula for Photosynthesis
H2O+CO2+light= O2 + C6H12O6 (glucose)
Autotrophs
Producers. Organisms that produce their own food through the process of photosynthesis. Are consumed by Heterotrophs
Heterotrophs
Consumers. Organisms that feed on other organisms or decompose organisms for sustenance.
Chemoautotrophs
Prokaryotes that use inorganic chemicals as their energy source
Chloroplast
Organelle/structure in plant cells that is the site of photosynthesis
Thylakoid Membrane
Part of the chloroplast. An internal system of interconnected membranes, that carry out the light reactions of photosynthesis.
Chlorophyll
Green pigments found within the thylakoid membrane of chloroplasts that allow plants to absorb light.
Absorbs light most strongly in the blue portion of the electromagnetic spectrum
Mesophyll
Green tissue in the interior of the leaf where most of the chloroplasts are concentrated
Stomata
Tiny pores in the leaf that allow carbon dioxide to enter and oxygen to exit the leaf.
Mouth of the plants.
Structure of the Chloroplasts
1) Stroma
2) Thylakoid Membrane
Stroma
Thick fluid within an inner compartment. One of the two structures of the chloroplast.
Redox Process
Oxidation+Reduction
Oxidation
Gain of oxygen.
Eventually causes things to deteriorate
Reduction
Loss of oxygen
Photosynthesis as a redox process
Co2 reduced to sugar as electrons and Hydrogen ions from water are added to it.
Water molecules are oxidized when they lose electrons along the hydrogen ions.
Light Reactions
Reaction where Energy from sun is captured and stored. They occur in Thylakoid Membranes.
Light energy is absorbed by the Chlorophyll molecules - NADP+ is reduced to NADPH
Dark Reactions
Reactions where energy is used to build sugar molecules.
Also known as the Calvin Cycle. Occurs in the stroma of the Chloroplast.
Carbon Fixation
During the Calvin Cycle, CO2 is incorporated into organic compounds in a process called Carbon Fixation.
Photon
Fixed quantity of light energy
Photosystem
A number of light-harvesting complexes surrounding a reaction-center complex.
In other words, photosynthesis is a photosystem because it absorbs light energy and uses it to produce organic molecules.
