autotroph
"self-feeders"
sustain themselves without eating anything derived from other organisms
producers
ultimate source of organic compounds
where did photosynthesis first evolve?
prokaryotes
prior to the evolution of photosynthesis...
there was very little oxygen found in Earth's atmosphere
(photosynthesis produces oxygen as a waste product)
heterotroph
consumers
live on compounds produced by other organisms
dependent on the process of photosynthesis for both food and oxygen
chloroplasts
the specific sites of photosynthesis in plant cells
stroma
dense, fluid-filled area
enclosed by an envelope of two membranes
thylakoids
within the stroma
vast network of interconnected membranous sacs
thylakoid space
compartment, segregated from stroma by thylakoids
the thylakoids set up compartments...
separate from the stroma
this allows a proton gradient to be established
chlorophyll
located in the thylakoid membranes
is the light-absorbing pigment that drives photosynthesis
gives plants their green color
stomata
many tiny pores
found in the exterior of the lower epidermis of a leaf
the means through which carbon dioxide enters, and oxygen/water vapor exit the leaf
transpiration
the loss of water through open stomata
overall photosynthesis reaction
6 CO2 + 6 H2O + Light Energy -> C6H12O6 + 6 O2
the overall chemical change during photosynthesis is...
the reverse of the one that occurs during cellular respiration
water is split for its electrons...
which are transferred along with hydrogen ions from water to carbon dioxide, reducing it to sugar
an endergonic process, requires energy from the sun
oxygen we breathe is formed...
in the process of photosynthesis when a water molecule is split
photosynthesis occurs in how many stages?
two
light reactions and calvin cycle
the light reactions
occur in the thylakoid membranes
solar energy -> chemical energy
net products of light reactions
NADPH (which stores electrons), ATP, and oxygen
step one of the light reactions
light energy is absorbed by chlorophyll, which drives the transfer of electrons from water to NADP+, forming NADPH
step two of the light reactions
water is split, oxygen is released
step three of the light reactions
ATP is generated, using chemiosmosis to power the addition of a phosphate group to ADP, a process called photophosphorylation
calvin cycle
occurs in the stroma
CO2 from the air is incorporated into organic molecules in carbon fixation
uses the fixed carbon plus NADPH and ATP from the light reactions in the formation of new sugars
carbon fixation
CO2 from the air is incorporated into organic molecules
light
the primary energy source for life on earth
electromagnetic energy that travels in rhythmic waves
visible spectrum
the portion of light that we can see
consists of the colors red, orange, yellow, green, indigo, and violet
ie. ROY G BIV
photons
light behaves as though it is made up of discrete particles
each of which has a fixed quantity of energy
pigments
substances that absorb light
different pigments...
absorb light of different wavelengths
chlorophyll is a...
pigment
it absorbs violet-blue and red while transmitting and reflecting green light
this is why we see summer leaves as green
absorption spectrum
a graph plotting a pigment's light absorption as a function of wavelength
for chlorophyll, it provides clues to the effectiveness of different wavelengths for driving photosynthesis (confirmed by an action spectrum)
action spectrum
graphs, for photosynthesis, the effectiveness of different wavelengths of light in driving the process of photosynthesis
confirms that plants use energy from red and blue light (which is absorbed) and very little energy from green light (which is reflected)
photons of light are absorbed by...
certain groups of pigment molecules in the thylakoid membrane of chloroplasts
photosystems
the groups of pigment molecules in which photons of light are absorbed in the thylakoid membrane of chloroplasts
consist of two parts: a light-harvesting complex and a reaction-center
light-harvesting complex
made up of chlorophyll and carotenoid molecules of different colors of green and orange/yellow
this arrangement allows the complex to gather light effectively
carotenoid molecules
accessory pigments in the thylakoid membrane
when chlorophyll absorbs light energy in the form of photons...
one of the molecule's electrons is raised to an orbital of higher potential energy
chlorophyll is in an "excited state"
reaction center
where the energy is transferred
consists of two chlorophyll a molecules that donate electrons to the second member of the reaction center
primary electron acceptor
chlorophyll a molecules donate electrons to these
a molecule capable of accepting electrons and becoming reduced
first step of the light reactions
the solar-powered transfer of an electron from the reaction-center chlorophyll a pair to the primary electron acceptor
conversion of light energy to chemical energy
elections donated from the reaction center...
must be replaced
splitting of water is the source of the replacement electrons
the thylakoid membranes contain...
two photosystems that are important to photosynthesis
PS I (Photosystem 1)
sometimes designated P700 - chlorophyll a in the reaction center of this photosystem absorbs red light of this wavelength best
PS II (Photosystem 2)
P680 - absorbs light of this wavelength best
the key to the light reactions is...
the flow of electrons through the photosystems in the thylakoid membrane
STEP ONE, light reactions
PS II absorbs light energy, exciting an electron in the P680 reaction center of two chlorophyll a molecules to a higher energy state
STEP TWO, light reactions
electron is transferred to the primary electron acceptor
reaction-center chlorophyll is oxidized and now requires an electron
STEP THREE, light reactions
enzyme splits a water molecule into two hydrogen (H+) ions, two electrons, and an oxygen atom
electrons are supplied to the P680 chlorophyll a molecules
oxygen immediately combines with another oxygen atom (forms O2, released in atmosphere)
H+ released into thylakoid space
STEP FOUR, light reactions
original excited electron passes from the primary electron acceptor of PS II to PS I through an electron transport chain
energy from the transfer of electrons down the electron transport chain is used to pump protons (H+) into the thylakoid space
STEP FIVE, light reactions
H+ accumulates in the thylakoid space creating a gradient that is used in chemiosmosis to phosphorylate ADP to ATP
ATP used as energy in the formation of carbohydrates in Calvin cycle
STEP SIX, light reactions
light energy has also activated PS I, resulting in the donation of an electron to its primary electron acceptor
electrons donated by PS I are replaced by the electrons from PS II
STEP SEVEN, light reactions
the primary electron acceptor of PS I passes the excited electrons along to another electron transport chain
STEP EIGHT, light reactions
excited electrons are transmitted to NADP+, then reduced to NADPH
(second of the two important light reaction products)
this process removes H+ from the stroma, increasing the proton gradient
high energy electrons of NADPH available for use in Calvin cycle
chemiosmosis
how chloroplasts and mitochondria generate ATP
electron transport chain uses...
flow of electrons to pump protons across the thylakoid membrane
stroma -> thylakoid space
this creates an electrochemical gradient
what is the electrochemical gradient that is created used for?
ATP synthase is able to phosphorylate ADP to ATP
occurs when protons flow out of the thylakoid space, down electrochemical gradient, through ATP synthase, and into stroma
where is proton-motive force generated?
3 places
1) hydrogen ions from splitting of water
2) hydrogen ions pumped across the membrane by cytochrome complex
3) removal of hydrogen ions from the stroma when NADP+ is reduced to NADPH
differences between chemiosmosis in cellular respiration and photosynthesis
spatial differences
mitochondria uses chemiosmosis to transfer chemical energy from food molecules to ATP
chloroplasts transfer light energy into chemical energy of ATP
(difference between consumer and a producer)
calvin cycle
carbon enters in the form of CO2, leaves in the form of a sugar
what does the calvin cycle spend and consume?
ATP as an energy source, NADH for reducing power
to net one molecule of G3P, the calvin cycle must go through...
three rotations, fix three molecules of CO2
to produce one molecule of glucose, the calvin cycle must go through...
six rotations, fix six molecules of CO2