Lec. 16 - Plants and Photosynthesis Flashcards
Compare an autotroph and a heterotroph and explain their connection.
Their interconnectedness forms the basis of energy flow and nutrient cycling in ecosystems. Autotrophs produce organic compounds using inorganic sources, while heterotrophs consume organic compounds produced by autotrophs or other heterotrophs.
Diagram a chloroplast and explain where each stage of photosynthesis occurs.
A chloroplast is made up of an inner and outer membrane, a stroma, the thylakoid membranes, and the thylakoid lumen. Light-dependent reactions occur in the thylakoid membranes, and light-independent reactions occur in the stroma.
Explain the importance of chloroplasts and their role in photosynthesis.
Chloroplasts are vital to photosynthesis because they convert light energy, providing energy, oxygen, and nutrients essential for the survival of plants.
Describe where a thylakoid is found and what job it performs in photosynthesis.
A thylakoid is found within the thylakoid membranes, and they are the sites where the initial stages of photosynthesis occur.
Describe the function of chlorophyll and explain the role it plays in photosynthesis.
Chlorophyll serves as the primary pigment in photosynthesis, absorbing light energy necessary for the conversion of light energy. It captures light photons, initiates electron transport, generates ATP, and participates in the splitting of water molecules.
Summarize the steps involved in photosynthesis.
In the light dependent reactions, there is light absorption, then water splitting, then the ETC, and then ATP synthesis. In light independent reactions, there is carbon fixation, then reduction phase, the the regeneration of RuBP.
