PHOTOSYNTHESIS

Question 1

Photosynthesis provides the energy rich carbohydrates that energize and sustain many-

Answer 1

Food webs
-These carbohydrates also provide the molecular building blocks (carbon skeletons) requires to make biological molecules

Question 2

Photosynthetic prokaryotes, eukaryotic algae, and plants are called

Answer 2

Primary producers due to their ability to synthesize the carbohydrates that support life
-This is due to their extraordinary ability to use the energy in sunlight to synthesize carbohydrates directly from CO2 molecules
-Primary producers are the foundation of ecosystems that have access to sunlight

Question 3

Photosynthesis consists of two groups of reactions

Answer 3

-Light reactions occurring in the thylakoid membranes
-Calvin cycle reactions occurring in the stroma compartment

Question 4

PAR

Answer 4

Photosynthetically active radiation

Question 5

PAR does what?

Answer 5

Energizes the light reactions of photosynthesis

Question 6

The light reactions-

Answer 6

-Convert the energy in PAR into the energy rich ATP and NADPH molecules the calvin cycle enzymes needed to convert CO2 molecules into carbohydrates
-Split H20 molecules to release O2 molecules that enable your cells to make ATP by cellular respiration

Question 7

The _______ and _______ pigments absorb the PAR that energizes the light reactions

Answer 7

Chlorophyll and carotenoid
-The chlorophylls absorb blue and red light
-The carotenoids absorb different wavelengths of blue light compared to the chlorophylls
-The differing absorption spectra for the chlorophylls and carotenoids increases the range of PAR captured to provide the light reactions with more light energy

Question 8

PPCs

Answer 8

Pigment protein complexes

Question 9

PPCs purpose

Answer 9

The PPCs in the thylakoid membranes are the foundation of the light reactions
-PPCs consist of proteins, chlorophyll pigments, carotenoid pigments
-Absorption of PAR, transfer of PAR energy, conversion of PAR energy into electron flow among the ETC molecules that drives ATP and NADPH synthesis

Question 10

The calvin cycle reactions occur in the stroma compartment of the chloroplast

Answer 10

-A series of enzymes that convert the CO2 molecule into the 3 carbon carbohydrates, glyceraldehyde 3 phosphate (PGAL or G3P)
-Photosynthetic species use PGAL as a universal substrate to synthesize all their biological molecules (conversion of PGAL to glucose)
-PGAl is the organic building block of life

Question 11

What is the primary photosynthetic organ?

Answer 11

The leaf
-The leaf ensures that the chloroplasts in its cells have access to the raw materials necessary to perform the light reactions and calvin cycle reactions of photosynthesis (PAR, H2O, CO2)