photosynthesis Flashcards
Explain why we need energy.
- Plants need energy for photosynthesis, active transport and protein synthesis
- Animals need energy for muscle contraction, cell division and DNA replication
Explain why photosynthesis is vital on Earth
- Its the way that energy can get into ecosystems
- Turns a colourless gas (CO2) into glucose then starch
- Produces O2 as a by-product for aerobic respiration
What is the balanced chemical equation for photosynthesis
6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2
Describe where photosynthesis takes place
Photosynthesis takes place in the palisade mesophyll in the chloroplast that contains chlorophyll
Describe the structure of the chloroplast
- Disc-shaped, surrounded by a double membrane
- Grana are made of stakced thylakoids
- Lamella attach thylakoids in adjacent grana
- The stroma contains enzymes, sugars and organic acids
How does the structure of the chloroplast maximise the rate of the light dependant reaction?
- ATP synthase channels with granal membrane
- Large surface area 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?
- Has its own DNA and ribosomes for the synthesis of enzymes like rubisco
- Concentration of enzymes and substrates in stroma is high
List the organelles inside a chloroplast
- Outer and inner membrane
- Thylakoids and thylakoid membrane
- Grana
- Stroma
- Starch grain
Describe the thylakoid membrane
- A phospholipid bilayer
- Has chlorophyll pigment, ATP synthase and an electron transport chain embedded inside of it
Where does the light-dependent reaction take place?
In the thylakoid membrane
List the steps of the light-dependent reaction
- Photoionisation
- Photolysis
- Chemiosmosis
What does the light dependant reaction produce?
ATP and reduced NADP
Explain photoionisation
- Chlorophyll molecules absorb light energy exiciting the electrons
- Which raises the electron to a higher energy level
- They are emitted into the electron transport chain
Explain photolysis
To replace the excited electrons, light energy splits H2O into protons (H+), electrons (e-) and oxygen (O2)
Write the balanced chemical equation for photolysis
2H2O → 4H+ + 4e- + O2