Photosynthesis

Question 1

What happens in light dependent photosynthesis?

Answer 1

Light enters the chloroplasts and goes to the thylakoid membrane. Energy from the sun is used to reduce water into 1/2O2, 2H+ and 2e- and the 2e- are excited and sent along the electron transport chain to photosystem II. The electron is then excited and goes to photosystem I, and carries on along the transport chain. When it reaches the end, energy is used to move H+ against the gradient, allowing ATP synthase to convert ADP to ATP. H+ is also used to make NAPDH for the Calvin cycle.

Question 2

What happens during light independent photosynthesis?

Answer 2

Carbon dioxide from the atmosphere reacts with RuBP using the RuBisCO enzyme as a catalyst to create 2 molecules of GP. ATP is used to convert 2xGP to 2xTP using the hydrogen from NADPH. One carbon is removed in every cycle from TP and RuBP is regenerated using ATP and carbon from TP. This happens 6 times to create a six carbon sugar.

Question 3

What is the z-scheme?

Answer 3

The energy level increases when reaching photosystem II and I and then slowly decreases in between until it is excited again.

Question 4

What is ATP?

Answer 4

Adenosine triphospate is a source of energy used at a molecular level.

Question 5

What is ADP?

Answer 5

Adenosine diphosphate and when combined with phosphate, can be used to make ATP.

Question 6

What does NADPH stand for?

Answer 6

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate

Question 7

What is RuBP?

Answer 7

Ribulose bisphosphate, an organic substance which is the carbon dioxide acceptor.

Question 8

What does GP stand for?

Answer 8

Glycerate 3 phosphate

Question 9

What does TP stand for?

Answer 9

Triose phosphate