Chapter 10 Study Guide

Photosynthesis-the conversion of light energy from the sun to chemical energy stored in sugars and other organic molecules Autotrophs-sustain themselves without eating anything derived from other organisms Autotrophs = producer of the biosphere Photoautotrophs-organisms that use light as a source of energy to synthesize organic substances Heterotrophs-obtain their organic material form other organisms Heterotrophs = biospheres consumers 2 stages of photosynthesis = light reactions + the Calvin cycle Chlorophyll-green pigment located within chloroplasts Mesophyll-tissue in the interior of the leaf where chlorophyll is located Stomata-microscopic pores in the leaf through which carbon dioxide enters the leaf and oxygen exits Stroma-dense fluid within the chloroplast Thylakoids-elaborate system of interconnected membranous sacs Thylakoid Space-space in the interior of the thylakoids Grana-stacks of thylakoids Chlorophyll resides in the thylakoid membranes Photosynthetic prokaryotes lack chloroplasts but they do have photosynthetic membranes Direct product of photosynthesis is actually G3P a 3 carbon sugar

Light absorbed by chlorophyll drives a transfer of electrons and hydrogen from water to NADP+ It takes 2 electrons and 1 proton to reduce NADP+ to NADPH

Photophosphorylation-using chemiosmosis to add a phosphate group to ADP during the light reactions Light reactions produce no sugar Carbon fixation-the incorporation of CO2 into organic compounds Calvin cycle reduces the fixed carbon to carbohydrate with reducing power provided by NADPH Light reactions occur in the thylakoid membranes while the Calvin cycle occurs in the stroma Light = electromagnetic energy Wavelength Electromagnetic spectrum-entire range of radiation Visible light-380-750 nm Photons-the particles of light The amount of energy is inversely related to the wavelength of the light (shorter wavelength = higher energy) Spectrophotometer-measures the ability of a pigment to absorb various wavelengths of light Absorption spectrum-plot light absorption vs. wavelength Violet and red light work best for photosynthesis Action spectrum-plots rate of reaction vs. wavelength Chlorophyll a is blue-green Chlorophyll b is yellow green Carotenoids-hydrocarbon accessory pigments that absorb violet and blue-green light Each pigment has a unique absorption spectrum because the pigment only absorbs photons with energy equal to the energy difference between the levels of the ground state and the excited state Carotenoids are used for photoprotection Photosystem-composed of a reaction center surrounded by a number of light harvesting complexes Light harvesting complex-consists of pigment molecules bound to particular proteins Reaction center-protein complex that includes two special chlorophyll a molecules and a primary electron acceptor

The chlorophyll a molecules in the reaction center are special because their environment allows the chlorophyll molecules to raise one of their electrons to a higher level PS II functions before PS I PS II has P680; PS I has P700 P68 & P700 are structurally identical NONCYLIC ELECTRON FLOW Light energy relayed from pigment to pigment in light harvesting complex before eventually reaching the reaction center exciting the P680 electrons. The electrons are then captured by the primary electron acceptor. An enzyme splits water into 2 electrons, 2 protons, & 1 oxygen atom. Two electrons replace the two that were captured. Oxygen atom combines to form O2. Each excited electron passes down an electron transport chain providing energy for ATP synthesis. At the same time electrons from P700 are excited an elevated and handed to PS Is primary electron acceptor which hands it off to an electron transport chain resulting in energy for ATP synthesis and 1 NADH (2 electrons to reduce NADP+ to NADPH). The 2 electrons passed from PS IIs primary electron acceptor to P700 replace the 2 that were lost by P700. CYCLIC ELECTRON FLOW Generates no NADH or O2 but does produce ATP; only in PS I; electrons passed down electron transport chain to ferredoxin back to P700 Cyclic electron flow makes up for the difference in ATP consumed by the Calvin cycle in comparison to NADPH Concentration of NADPH regulates which type of flow occurs 3 stages of Calvin cycle = carbon fixation, reduction, & regeneration of RuBP The Calvin cycle uses 3 ATP and 2 NADPH per turn It takes 3 turns to make 1 G3P C3 plants-use rubisco as an enzyme for carbon fixation creating a 3 carbon compound; thus its name Photorespiration-O2 binds to rubisco adding O2 to the Calvin cycle which peroxisomes and mitochondria split releasing CO2; consumes ATP, produces no sugar Bundle sheath cells-arranged into tightly packed sheaths around the veins of the leaf In C4 plants, carbon fixation is in the mesophyll cells while the rest of the Calvin cycle occurs in the bundle sheath cells PEP carboxylase-enzyme that catalyzes the addition of CO2 to PEP to form oxaloacetate

Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM)-fixes CO2 to form a variety of organic acids during the night when the stomata are open CAM plants-their mesophyll cells store the organic acids made at night in vacuoles until morning when the light reaction can supply ATP and NADPH for the Calvin cycle; CO2 is released from the organic acids during the day In C4 plants carbon fixation occurs at the same time as the Calvin cycle but in different places while in CAM plants carbon fixation occurs at different times as the Calvin cycle but in the same location