Photosynthesis Flashcards
Energy
The ability to do work or cause change
Characteristics of living things
1) maintains homeostasis
2) requires energy
3) highly organized
4) reproduces
5) made up of cells
6) grows and developed
ATP (adenosine triphosphate)
A usable form of energy for the cell
Autotroph
“Self-feeder”, uses radiant energy and raw materials to create food in the form of chemical energy
Heterotroph
“Other-feeder”, uses chemical energy from other organisms for food
Photosynthesis
The process of using light energy to create a usable form of energy for the cell
Electromagnetic spectrum
Energy that travels in the form of waves
Pigments
Molecules that reflect certain colors and absorb other colors
Chlorophyll
A pigment that normally appears green
Chlorophyll A
Absorbs purples and red-oranges and is directly involved in light-dependent reactions
Chlorophyll B
Absorbs blues and yellow-oranges and is considered an “accessory pigment”
Carotenoids
An accessory that absorbs green wavelengths of light and reflects all other colors
Chloroplast
A specialized organelle for photosynthesis
Thylakoids
A system of membranes arranged as a series of interconnected flattened sacs
Photosystems
Clusters (100+) of pigment molecules within the thylakoid membrane to act as light collecting units
