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Photosynthesis and Respiration

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Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is a process by which phototrophs convert light energy into chemical energy,
which is later is used to fuel cellular activities. The chemical energy is stored in the form of
sugars, which are created from water and carbon dioxide. All green plants and a few other
autotrophic organisms utilize photosynthesis to synthesize nutrients by using carbon dioxide,
water and sunlight. The by-product of the photosynthesis process is oxygen.

Place of occurrence
Chloroplasts are the sites of photosynthesis in plants
and blue-green algae.  All green parts of a plant,
including the green stems, green leaves, and sepals
– floral parts comprise of chloroplasts – green
colour plastids. These cell organelles are present
only in plant cells and are located within the
mesophyll cells of leaves.

Photosynthetic Pigments
There are four different  types of pigments present in
leaves: Figure: Chloroplast
 Chlorophyll a
 Chlorophyll b
 Xanthophylls
 Carotenoids

Factors Affecting Photosynthesis


Photosynthesis process requires several factors such as:
 Light Intensity: Increased light intensity results in a higher rate of photosynthesis. On
the other hand, low light intensity results in a lower rate of photosynthesis.
 The concentration of CO2: Higher concentration of carbon dioxide helps in increasing
the rate of photosynthesis. Usually, carbon dioxide in the range of 300 – 400 PPM is
adequate for photosynthesis.
 Temperature: For efficient execution of photosynthesis, it is important to have a
temperature range between 25° to 35° C.
 Water: As water is an important factor in photosynthesis, its deficiency can lead to
problems in the intake of carbon dioxide. The scarcity of water leads to the refusal of
stomatal opening to retain the amount of water they have stored inside.
 Pollution: Industrial pollutants and other particulates may settle on the leaf surface.
This can block the pores of stomata which makes it difficult to take in carbon dioxide.

Light Reaction of Photosynthesis (or) Light-dependent Reaction


Photosynthesis begins with the light reaction which is carried out only during the day in the
presence of sunlight. In plants, the light-dependent reaction takes place in the thylakoid
membranes of chloroplasts. The Grana, membrane-bound sacs like structures present inside
the thylakoid functions by gathering light and is called photosystems. These photosystems
have large complexes of
pigment and proteins
molecules present within the
plant cells which plays the
primary role during the
process of light reactions of
photosynthesis. There are
two types of photosystems:
photosystem I and
photosystem II. Under the
light-dependent reactions,
the light energy is converted
to ATP and NADPH which are used in the second phase of photosynthesis. During the light
reactions, ATP and NADPH are generated by two electron-transport
chains, water is used and oxygen is produced.
The chemical equation in the light reaction of photosynthesis can be reduced to:
2H2O + 2NADP+ + 3ADP + 3Pi → O2 + 2NADPH + 3ATP

Dark Reaction of Photosynthesis (or) Light-independent Reaction


Dark reaction is also called carbon-fixing reaction. It is a light-independent process in which
sugar molecules are formed from the water and carbon dioxide molecules. The dark reaction
occurs in the stroma of the
chloroplast where they utilize
the NADPH and ATP
products of the light reaction.
Plants capture the carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere
through stomata and proceed
to the Calvin photosynthesis
cycle.
In the Calvin cycle, the ATP
and NADPH formed during
light reaction drive the
reaction and convert 6
molecules of carbon dioxide
into one sugar molecule or
glucose. Figure: Light-independent reactions

The chemical equation for the dark reaction can be reduced to:
3CO2 + 6 NADPH + 5H2O + 9ATP → G3P + 2H+ + 6 NADP+ + 9 ADP + 8 Pi

Respiration
Respiration is a metabolic process that occurs in all organisms. It is considered a biochemical
process that occurs within the cells of organisms. In this process, the energy (ATP-Adenosine
triphosphate) is produced by the breakdown of glucose which is further used by cells in
various functions. Every living species, from a single-celled organism to
dominant multicellular organisms, goes through respiration.
There are two types of respiration:
1. Aerobic respiration
2. Anaerobic respiration

Aerobic respiration
It is a type of cellular respiration that takes place in the presence of oxygen to produce
energy. It is a continuous process that takes place within the cells of animals and plants. This
process can be explained with the help of the chemical equation:
C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O +
Energy (34ATP)

The 4 stages of aerobic


respiration are as follows:

1. Glycolysis
The first step of aerobic
respiration is glycolysis. This
step takes place within the
cytosol of the cell, and is
actually anaerobic, meaning it does not need Figure: Aerobic respiration
oxygen. During glycolysis, which means
breakdown of glucose, glucose is separated into
two ATP and two NADH molecules, which are used later in the process of aerobic
respiration.

2. Formation of Acetyl Coenzyme A


The next step in aerobic respiration is the formation of acetyl coenzyme A. In this step,
pyruvate is brought into the mitochondria to be oxidized, creating a 2-carbonacetyl group.
This 2-carbon acetyl group then binds with coenzyme A, forming acetyl coenzyme A. The
acetyl coenzyme A is then brought back into the mitochondria for use in the next step.

3. Citric Acid Cycle


The third step of aerobic respiration is called the citric acid cycle -- it is also called the Krebs
cycle. Here, oxaloacetate combines with the acetyl coenzyme A, creating citric acid -- the
name of the cycle. Two turns of the citric acid cycle are required to break down the original
acetyl coenzyme A from the single glucose molecule. These two cycles create an additional
two ATP molecules, as well as six NADH and two FADH molecules, all which are used
later.
4. Electron Transport Chain
The final step in aerobic respiration
is the electron transport chain. The
electron transport chain is the portion
of aerobic respiration that uses free
oxygen as the final electron acceptor
of the electrons removed from the
intermediate compounds in glucose
catabolism. In this phase, the NADH
and FADH donate their electrons to
make large amounts of ATP. One
molecule of glucose creates a total of
34 ATP molecules.

Anaerobic respiration
Anaerobic respiration is the type of respiration through which cells can break down sugars to
generate energy in the absence of oxygen. This is in contrast to the highly efficient process
of aerobic respiration, which relies on oxygen to produce energy.
The equations for the two most common types of anaerobic respiration are:
• Lactic acid fermentation:
C6H12O6 (glucose)+ 2 ADP + 2 pi → 2 lactic acid + 2 ATP
• Alcoholic fermentation:
C6H12O6 (glucose) + 2 ADP + 2 pi → 2 C2H5OH (ethanol) + 2 CO2 + 2 ATP

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