PHOTOSYNTHESIS

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)

Energy-storing compound Made up of an adenosine compound with 3 phosphate

groups attached When the bond that holds the last phosphate group is

broken the energy is released The new compound is now called adenosine

diphosphate (ADP)

Autotrophs

Organisms that make their own food Also known as producers because they

produce food for other organisms Ex: plants, bacteria

Heterotrophs

Organisms that cannot make their own food Also known as consumers because they

consume autotrophs and other heterotrophs Ex: humans, fungi

Pigments

Molecules that absorb certain wavelengths of light while reflecting others

Chlorophyll: a pigment in plants that absorbs red, blue, and violet light while reflecting green light

Chloroplast

Structures in plant cells that contain chlorophyll Photosynthesis occurs in these structures Made up of 3 parts:

Thylakoid: contains the photosystems Grana: stacks of thylakoids Stroma: gel-like material between the grana

Photosynthesis

The process by which autotrophs convert sunlight into energy

The photosynthetic reaction is: sunlight

6H2O + 6CO2 C6H12O6 + 6O2

Photosystems

Photosystem II: Uses the light energy from the sun to break water apart into hydrogen, oxygen and electrons; the electrons enter an electron transport chain

Photosystem I: picks up the electrons from the electron transport chain and uses them and the hydrogen to make ATP and NADPH (an energy carrier)

These reactions are called the light-dependent reactions because they require sunlight and they take place in the thylakoid

Calvin Cycle

A set of reactions that uses the energy in ATP and NADPH (made in the photosystems) to convert carbon dioxide into glucose

These reactions are called the light-independent reactions because they do not require sunlight and they take place in the stroma

Glucose

The glucose made during photosynthesis is used by the plant to provide energy for cellular functions

Excess glucose is linked together to form starch which can then be stored by the plant