Chpater 6.2 The Reactions of Photosynthesis Flashcards
A molecule containing three high-energy phosphate bonds that act as the primary energy-transferring molecule in living organisms.
ATP
A molecule containing two high-energy phosphate bonds that may be formed by breaking one of the phosphate bonds in ATP.
ADP
A compound that accepts one hydrogen atom and two electrons, forming NADPH; is an electron acceptor.
NADP+
A compound that donates one hydrogen atom and two electrons to another molecule, to reform NADP+; is an electron donor.
NADPH
The first set of reactions of photosynthesis in which light energy excites electrons in chlorophyll molecules, power chemiosmotic ATP synthesis, and results in the reduction of NADP+ to NADPH.
Light-Dependent Reactions
The process of incorporating CO2 into carbohydrate molecules.
Carbon Fixation
A cyclic set of reactions occurring in the stroma of chloroplasts that fixes the carbon of CO2 into carbohydrate molecules and recycles coenzymes.
Calvin Cycle
The second set of reactions in photosynthesis (the Calvin Cycle); these reactions do not require solar energy.
Light-Independent Reactions
A cluster of photosynthetic pigments embedded in a thylakoid membrane of a chloroplast that absorbs light energy.
Photosystem
A series of progressively stronger electron acceptors; each time an electron is transferred, energy is released.
Electron Transport Chain
A chemical reaction in which a compound is broken down by light; in photosynthesis, water molecules are split by photolysis.
Photolysis
A reaction in which an atom or molecule loses electrons.
Oxidation
A reaction in which an atom or molecule gains electrons.
Reduction
A specialized protein complex embedded in the thylakoid membrane that allows H+ ions to escape from the lumen and uses the resulting energy to generate ATP.
ATP Synthase Complex
A process for synthesizing ATP using the energy of an electrochemical gradient and the ATP synthase enzyme.
Chemiosmosis
