Unit 5 - Photosynthesis Flashcards
Define autotrophs
- An organism that makes their own food from inorganic molecules using (chemical/ light) energy
- Producers in an ecosystem
Define Chemosynthesis
Making food using chemical energy
Photoautotrophs
Organisms that photosynthesise using sunlight
When do plants photosynthesise and repsire
- photosynthesise only in sufficent light levels
- respire continuously
Compensation point
The rate of photosynthesis is equal to the rate of respiration
No net loss or gain of mass (carbs)
CO2 uptake in Ps = CO2 production is R
Compensation period
Time it takes to reach the compensation point
Photosystems
Particles attached to thylakoid membranes
Contain photosynthetic pigments which carry out the absorption of light in two distinct chlorophyll complexes
characteristics of Photosystem I (PSI)
Funnel-shaped
Absorption wavelength is 700 nm
Found in intergranal lamellae
Photosystem II (PSII)
photsystem 2
Funnel-shaped
Absorption wavelength is 680 nm
Found on the grana
Chlorophyll a
Reflects blue-green
Primary pigments
Found at reaction centre of both photosystems
2 forms absorb light at wavelength 680 (PSII) and 700nm (PSI) - red light
Can also absorb some blue (400nm)
Chlorophyll b
Reflects yellow - green
An accessory pigment
Absorbs light wavelengths 400-500nm (blue) and 640 (red)
Accessory pigments
Carotenoids
Xanthophyll
Chlorophyll b
Pass emitted electrons to the primary pigments which are then emitted (light harvesting pigments)
This drives photosynthesis
Carotenoids
Reflect yellow Absorb blue (400-500nm)
Xanthophyll
Reflects yellow
Absorbs blue/green (375-550)
Absorption spectrum
Results of the colorimeter test plotted on a graph
Action spectrum
Combined absorption spectra of pigments
Structure of chlorophyll molecule
Porphyrin head - hydrophilic, flat head lies parallel to thylakoid membrane for maximum absorption
Lipid soluble tail - hydrophobic, lies in thylakoid membrane
Side chains - determines which wavelengths are absorbed
How are electrons excited and how do they go back to normal
Chlorophyll pigments absorb light, electrons enter an ‘excited state’
This is unstable and electrons return to ‘ground state’
Lost excitation energy gets trapped during photosynthesis
Chlorophyll excitement equation
chlorophyll –> chlorophyll^+ + e^-
Reduced —-> oxidised + excited elctron
Chloroplast membrane
Both inner and outer membrane
Integranal lamellae
Extension of thylakoid membrane
Acts as skeleton
Intermembrane space
Space between membranes (10-20nm)
Granum
Stack of thylakoids
Plural grana