Energy Transfers in and Between Organisms- Photosynthesis and Respiration ( Year 13 Content ) Flashcards
where do light-dependent and light-independent reactions occur in a plant?
light-dependent: thylakoid membrane
light-independent: stroma
Explain the role of light in photoionisation
-chlorophyll molecules absorb energy from the photons of light
-this excites 2 electrons to a higher energy level causing them to leave the chlorophyll molecule
what are the two main stages involved in ATP production during the light-dependent reaction?
-electron transport chain
-chemiosmosis
what happens in the electron transport?
electrons released from the chlorophyll move along a series of carrier proteins embedded in the thylakoid membrane in a series of redox reaction which releases energy
how is the H+ ( proton ) concentration gradient established during chemiosmosis?
energy released from the electron transport chain is used to actively pump H+ ions ( protons ) from the stroma to the thylakoid space
How does chemiosmosis produce ATP in the light-dependent reaction?
H+ (protons) move down the concentration gradient from the thylakoid space into the stroma via the channel protein ATP synthase.
ATP catalyses ADP + Pi —> ATP
Explain the role of light in photolysis
light energy is used to split water molecules
2H2O —> 4H+ + 4e- + O2
what happens to the products from the photolysis of water?
H+ ions: move out the thylakoid space via channel protein ATP Synthase and are used to reduce coenzyme NADP
e- : replace the two electrons that had previously been lost from the chlorophyll
O2 : either used for aerobic respiration or leave through the stomata as waste product
How and where is reduced NADP produced in the light-dependent reactions?
● NADP + 2H+ + 2e- —> reduced NADP
● Catalysed by dehydrogenase enzymes
● Stroma of Chloroplast
Where do the H+ ions and electrons used to reduce NADP come from?
● H+ ions: photolysis of water
● Electrons: NADP acts as the final electron acceptor of the electron transport chain
Name the 3 main stages in the Calvin cycle
1) Carbon Fixation
2) Reduction
3) Regeneration
What happens during carbon fixation?
● Reaction between CO2 and ribulose biphosphate ( RuBP ) catalysed by rubisco
● Forms unstable 6C intermediate that breaks down into 2x glycerate-3-phosphate (GP)
What happens during reduction( in the Calvin cycle)
● 2x GP are reduced to 2x triose phosphate
● requires 2x NADPH and 2x ATP
● Forms 2x NADP and 2x ADP
How does the light-independent reaction result in the production of useful organic substances?
1C leaves the cycle, 6 cycles forms a glucose molecule
What happens during regeneration ( in the Calvin cycle)
● after 1C leaves the cycle, the 5C compound RuP forms
● RuBP is regenerated from RuP using 1x ATP
● Forms 1x ADP
State the roles of ATP and reduced NADP in the in the light-independent reaction
● ATP: reduction of Glycerate-3-phosphate to triose phosphate and provides phosphate groups to convert RuP into RuBP
● reduced NADP: coenzyme transports the electrons needed for reduction of GP to TP
State the number of carbon atoms in RuBP, GP and TP
RuBP: 5C
GP: 3C
TP: 3C
Describe the structure of a chloroplast
● usually disc shaped
● Double membrane
● Thylakoids: flattened discs stack to form grana
● intergranal lamella: tubular extensions attach thylakoids in adjacent grana
● Stroma: fluid-filled matrix
How does the structure of the chloroplast maximise the rate of the light-dependent reaction?
● ATP Synthase channels within granal membrane
● large surface areas of Thylakoid membrane for ETC
● photosystems position chlorophyll to enable maximum absorption of light
how does the structure of the chloroplast maximise the rate of the light-independent reaction?
- own dna and ribosomes for synthesis of enzymes such as rubisco
- concentration of enzymes and substrates is high in the stroma