Light Dependent Reaction

Non-Cyclic Photophosphorylation

When light is shown on a plant, light energy is absorbed by the accessory

pigments (chlorophyll b and xanthophyll). One of the pigments absorbs
the light energy, which consists of photons that cause electrons in the
chlorophyll to excite to a high energy level.
When electrons de-excite they release energy and then passed onto the
next pigment. This process will continue until the energy reaches the
reaction centre of PSII, where 2 electrons will gain the chemical energy
and excite. Chlorophyll a in the reaction centre is usually called the P680.
These electrons are excited to a high energy level, where they are picked
up by electron carriers. These electron carriers will move along the
thylakoid membrane where the electrons begin to transfer their energy to
the proton pumps in the membrane. Gradually, electrons lose their energy.
The proton pumps begin to actively transport protons from the stroma to
the thylakoid space.
To stabilise PSII, photolysis of water occurs in the thylakoid space. Water
splits into a proton and a hydroxide ion, where the hydroxide ion donates
its electrons to PSI resulting in formation of oxygen and protons.
(The process is similar to ETC in respiration, so it is not a problem to
mention that the electrons from PSII begin to take part in ETC)
Simultaneously, light energy absorbed by accessory pigments in PSI pass
on the chemical energy in a similar way to PSII. Note that the excited
electrons in PSI reach a higher energy level than in PSII. Chlorophyll a in
the reaction centre is usually called the P700.
To stabilise PSI, the electrons from PSII replace the lost electrons in PSI.
Electrons at the highest energy level are transported by electron carriers
to the co-enzyme NADP+, where it will combine with a proton and NADP+ to
form reduced NADP.
The protons formed in photolysis are usually used for formation of rNADP
(according to the textbook). What really happens is that protons from the
stroma are used up to form rNADP, while photolysis producing the
protons, which keeps the electrochemical gradient, so that there is always
a higher conc. of protons in the thylakoid space than the stroma. It is like
a recycling process.
The protons in the thylakoid space will eventually be used in the
production of ATP. The membrane wall is impermeable to protons, so the
only way to go through is via the stalked particles that have ATP-synthase,
which uses the protons as a source of energy to create ATP from ADP + Pi.

This whole process is referred to as the z-scheme because if you were to

draw the process, it would look like the shape Z sideways.