Unit 3 - KA1 - Photosynthesis Flashcards
production of carbohydrate by a plant using the energy of light
Photosynthesis
When light energy is captured by pigments in the leaf
Absorption
When light energy passes through the surface of the leaf
Transmission
When light energy bounces off the surface of the leaf
Reflection
Graph showing wavelengths of light absorbed by a pigment
Absorption spectrum
Graph showing the wavelengths of light actively involved in photosynthesis
Action spectrum
Green pigment molecule in plants that absorbs red and blue light for photosynthesis
Chlorophyll A and B
Orange and yellow accessory pigments in plants. Extend the range of wavelengths absorbed by photosynthesis and pass the energy to chlorophyll.
Carotene
Membrane-bound enzyme that synthesises ATP
ATP-synthase
Breakdown of water molecules using energy from light
Photolysis
Coenzyme. Hydrogen carrier in photosynthesis
NADP
The enzyme which fixes carbon dioxide by attaching it to RuBP in the Calvin cycle
RuBisCo
Acceptor of carbon dioxide in the Calvin cycle
Ribulose Biphosphate (RuBP)
Carbon fixation stage of photosynthesis
Calvin Cycle
Produced when CO2 is fixed to RuBP by RuBisCo
3-phosphoglycerate (3PG)
Compound in the Calvin cycle that can be converted to glucose or used to regenerate RuBP
Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate. (G3P)
Structural carbohydrate in cell walls derived from photosynthesis
Cellulose
Storage carbohydrate derived from photosynthesis
Starch
Carbohydrate produced during photosynthesis, which can be used immediately for respiration.
Glucose
The increase in mass due to photosynthesis minus the loss due to respiration and can be measured by the increase in dry mass per unit leaf area.
Net Assimilation
The rate of generation of new biomass per unit area per unit of time
Productivity
The total plant biomass
Biological Yield
