Photosynthesis Flashcards
Autotrophs
sustain themselves by making organic molecules from inorganic raw materials obtained from the environment; (primary) producers
photoautotrophs
use energy from the light for this process
plants are ____autotrophs
photoautotrophs
some bacteria are ____autotrophs
chemoautotrophs
chemoautotrophs
use energy from the breakdown of inorganic compounds, like sulfur or ammonia
Heterotrophs
live on compounds produced by other organisms. Some eat plants and animals; Others consume the remains ofdead or decaying organisms (detritivores/decomposers)
Chloroplasts
organelles within the leaves of plants that are the major site of photosynthesis
Chlorophyll
green pigment located within chloroplasts
mesophyll
tissue in the interior of the leaf.
palisade mesophyll v spongy mesophyll
palisade mesophyll–closer packed, on top, spongy mesophyll have more spaces, covered by epithelial cells
stomata
plural of stoma
stoma
microscopic pores on the surface of the leaf–little holes on bottom of leaf allowing gases in and out not on top bc the sunlight’s heat could evaporate the water out–Carbon dioxide and oxygen enter leaf through.
cuticle
hydrophobic layer on top reduces water loss
Stroma
liquid within chloroplasts
Thylakoid membranes
home to light-dependent reactions and chlorophyll. on inside, hollow, separate stroma from thylakoid space (otherwise called thylakoid lumen) Thylakoid sacs stacked in columns called grana (sing. granum)
Equation photosynthesis
6CO2 + 6H2O (+light)–>C6H12O6 + 6O2
why does photosynthesis + respiration change to glucose and back?
change to glucose and back bc ATP is so unstable and plants can’t store it
reactants and products of light dependent reactions?
light reaction uses light and water, produces O2 as a waste, useful: ATP, NADPH (not listed as products bc intermediates)
other names for Calvin Cycle
CC/carbon fixation/light independent reaction/ dark reaction
Light reactions-
converts solar energy to chemical energyoccurs in thylakoids
steps photosynthesis
light reactions, Calvin cycle
photophosphorylation
uses light energy to add a phosphate group onto ADP, forming ATP
Light reactions-process
Chlorophyll absorbs lightElectrons and hydrogen are transferred to acceptor calledNADP+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate)Water is split, giving off O2 as a waste product ATP is generated in photophosphorylation
Wavelength
distance between the crests of electromagnetic waves; longer wavelength=less energy; nm nanometers measures wavelength; wavelengths visible light power photosynthesis
carbon fixation–
taking carbon from an inorganic source and changing it into an organic compound
Calvin cycle
incorporates CO2 from air into organic molecules(carbon fixation) using electrons from NADPH and energy from ATP; occurs in the stroma
Why is Calvin cycle also called light-independent reactions, or dark reactions,
becausedoesn’t need light directlyonly happens in light
Visible light-
from 380 nm to 760 nmdetected as colors by human eye
Light behavior
Light can behave as waves (waves=radiation) or photonsphotons–particles of energy
photons
Shorter the wavelength, thegreater the energy of each photon
photon violet energy
double energy of photon of red