Overall Equation: Photosynthesis
Overall Equation: Photosynthesis
Overall Equation: Photosynthesis
Process by which plants and other autotrophs store the energy of sunlight
into sugars
Requires sunlight, water and carbon dioxide
Occurs in the leaves of plants in organelles called chloroplasts.
OVERALL EQUATION
6 CO2 + 6 H20 C6H12O6 + 6 O2
LEAF STRUCTURE
Most photosynthesis occurs in the palisade layer.
Gas exchange of CO2 and O2 occurs in openings called
stomata surrounded by guard cells on the lower leaf
surface.
INTERNAL PARTS
LOWER EPIDERMIS – outmost tissue on the lower side of the leaf;
protects the leaf
UPPER EPIDERMIS – outmost tissue on the upper side of the leaf;
protects the leaf
PALISADE LAYER– rows of elongated cells in the upper center of leaf;
sites of photosynthesis
CUTICLE – waxy layer on the covering the epidermis; holds in moisture,
prevents too much absorption of water
STOMA/STOMATA – opening between the guard cells; allows for gas
exchange and some water
GUARD CELLS – surround the stoma; control the opening and closing of
the stoma
CHLOROPLASTS STRUCTURE
• Inner membrane called the thylakoid membrane.
• Thickened regions called thylakoids. A stack of thylakoids is called a
granum. (Plural – grana)
• Stroma is a liquid surrounding the thylakoids.
PIGMENTS
• Chlorophyll A is the most important photosynthetic pigment.
• Other pigments or accessory pigments are also present in the leaf.
– Chlorophyll B
– Carotenoids (orange / red)
– Xanthophylls (yellow / brown)
• These pigments are embedded in the membranes of the chloroplast in
groups called photosystems.
PHOTOSYSTEMS - groups of pigments embedded in the membranes of a
chloroplast.
THE CHEMICAL PROCESS
• Occurs in two main phases.
– Light reactions
– Dark reactions
– (aka – the Calvin Cycle)
• Light reactions (light-dependent) are the “photo” part of photosynthesis.
Light is absorbed by pigments.
• Dark reactions
(light-independent or Calvin cycle) are the “synthesis” part of
photosynthesis. Trapped energy from the sun is converted to the chemical
energy of sugars.
LIGHT REACTIONS: (LIGHT DEPENDENT)
Occur within and across thylakoid membranes
– Light and water are required for this process
– Water molecules - broken down to give hydrogen ions, oxygen
and energized e-
– Oxygen gas is made as a waste product.
– Energy carried along thylakoid is transferred to molecules w/c carry
energy (ATP and NADPH)
CODES
ATP: Adenosine Triphosphate
NADPH
Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate Hydrogen
NADP: Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate
ELECTRON TRANSPORT
- Process by which energized e- are carried from photosystem II across
carrier molecule. (uses energy to transport H+)
PHOTOSYSTEM I PHOTOSYSTEM II
Energy is absorbed from sunlight Energy is absorbed from sunlight
– transferred to e- then leave
chlorophyll and enter e- transport
chain (series of proteins in the
chain)
NADPH is produced when e- are H2O molecules split – enzymes
added to NADP+ break H2O giving O2 as waste.
H ions diffuse through a protein H ions are transported – e- moves
channel from protein to protein in e-
transport chain.
ADP is changed into ATP when H
ions flow through ATP synthase
SYNTHESIS OF ATP
Concentration gradient is produced in thylakoid due to high H+
concentration
- H + diffuses back to stroma using a membrane protein (ATP synthase)
- ADP is converted to ATP due to energy released from H ions flow