Photosynthesis Flashcards
What is photosynthesis?
The process used by plants to produce glucose
What are the three stages of photosynthesis?
- Capturing light energy
- Using captured light energy to make ATP snd NADPH
- using ATP snd NADPH to make glucose from CO2
What is the function of chloroplasts?
Site of photosynthesis in plant cells
What are the 5 main structures of chloroplasts?
Inner and outer membrane, thylakoids, grana, stroma, lumen
What is chlorophyll?
- a pigment
- it absorbs part of the spectra of visible light and reflects the rest
What does chlorophyll a do?
absorbs light in blue-violet and red spectra, only pigment that transfers light energy to the reaction of photosynthesis
What are the different pigments?
Chlorophyll a, accessory pigments-chlorophyll b, carotenoids
What are the functions of accessory pigments?
B- Absorbs light in the blue-violet red spectra
Carotenoids- absorbs light in blue-violet spectra
Draw the plants cell
In notes
How does the light capturing work?
- must hit cluster of proteins and pigments in thylakoids membrane
- photons of light excites a single electron moving it to a higher energy state
- it then has 3 options
What are the 3 options the cell has when capturing light?
- Release energy as thermal energy
- transfers energy to a different electron in neighbouring pigment molecule
- electron is accepted by electron-accepting molecule
What do accessory pigments do with the energy they capture?
They transfer it yo chlorophyll a
What does chlorophyll a do with the energy?
An electron is released to ETC
Draw plant ETC
In notes
What do light reactions do?
Produce O2
