In plants, photosynthesis primarily takes place in the leaves and little or none in stems

depending on the presence of chlorophyll. The typical parts of the leaves include the upper and
lower epidermis, mesophyll spongy layer, vascular bundles, and stomates. The upper and lower
epidermis protects the leaves and has nothing to do with photosynthetic processes. Mesophyll
has the most number of chloroplasts that contain chlorophyll. They are important in trapping
light energy from the sun. Vascular bundles - phloem and xylem serve as transporting vessels of
manufactured food and water. Carbon dioxide and oxygen were collected in the spongy layer and
enters and exits the leaf through the stomata.
The parts of a chloroplast include the outer and inner membranes, intermembrane space, stroma
and thylakoids stacked in grana. The chlorophyll is built into the membranes of the thylakoids.
Chlorophyll absorbs white light but it looks green because white light consists of three primary
colors: red, blue, and green. Only red and blue light is absorbed thus making these colors
unavailable to be seen by our eyes while the green light is reflected which makes the chlorophyll
looks green. However, it is the energy from red light and blue light that are absorbed and will be
used in photosynthesis. The green light that we can see is not absorbed by the plant and thus,
cannot be used in photosynthesis.
There are two stages of photosynthesis: (a) Light-dependent Reaction and (b) Calvin
Cycle (dark reaction). Light-dependent reaction happens in the presence of light. It occurs in the
thylakoid membrane and converts light energy to chemical energy. Water-one of the raw
materials of photosynthesis-is utilized during this stage and facilitates the formation of free
electrons and oxygen. The energy harvested during this stage is stored in the form of ATP
(Adenosine Triphosphate) and NADPH( Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate
Hydrogen). These products will be needed in the next stage to complete photosynthetic process.
Calvin Cycle (dark reaction) is a light-independent phase that takes place in the stroma
and converts Carbon dioxide (CO2) into sugar. This stage does not directly need light but needs
the products of light reaction. This is why it occurs immediately after the light-dependent phase.
The chemical reaction for photosynthesis is:



Chloroplast
Photosynthesis occurs in eukaryotic cell structures called chloroplasts. A chloroplast is a type of
plant cell organelle known as a plastid. Plastids assist in storing and harvesting needed
substances for energy production. A chloroplast contains a green pigment called chlorophyll,
which absorbs light energy for photosynthesis. Hence, the name chloroplast indicates that these
structures are chlorophyll containing plastids. Like mitochondria, chloroplasts have their own
DNA, are responsible for energy production, and reproduce independently from the rest of the
cell through a division process similar to bacterial binary fission. Chloroplasts are also
responsible for producing amino acids and lipid components needed for chloroplast membrane
production. Chloroplasts can also be found in green algae.
Chloroplast: Structure
Plant chloroplasts develop mainly in cells
located in plant leaves. Chloroplasts and
other plastids develop from cells called
proplastids. Proplastids are immature,
undifferentiated cells that develop into
different types of plastids. A proplastid
that develops into a chloroplast, only does
so in the presence of light. Chloroplasts
contain several different structures, each
having specialized functions. Chloroplast
structures include:
Membrane Envelope - contains
an inner and outer membranes that
act as protective coverings and
keep chloroplast structures
enclosed.
Thylakoid Membrane - internal membrane system consisting of flattened sac-like
membrane structures called thylakoids that serve as the sites of conversion of light
energy to chemical energy.
Grana (singular granum) - dense layered stacks of thylakoid sacs that serve as the sites
of conversion of light energy to chemical energy.
Stroma - dense fluid within the chloroplast that lies inside the envelope but outside the
thylakoid membrane. This is the site of conversion of carbon dioxide to carbohydrates
(sugar).
Chlorophyll - a green photosynthetic pigment within the chloroplast grana that absorbs
light energy.
Chloroplast: Photosynthesis
In photosynthesis, the sun's solar energy is converted to chemical energy. The chemical energy is
stored in the form of glucose (sugar). Carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight are used to produce
glucose, oxygen, and water. Photosynthesis occurs in two stages. These stages are known as the
light reaction stage and the dark reaction stage. The light reaction stage takes place in the
presence of light and occurs within the chloroplast grana. The primary pigment used to convert
light energy into chemical energy is chlorophyll a. Other pigments involved in light absorption
include chlorophyll b, xanthophyll, and carotene. In the light reaction stage, sunlight is converted
to chemical energy in the form of ATP (free energy containing molecule) and NADPH (high
energy electron carrying molecule). Both ATP and NADPH are used in the dark reaction stage to
produce sugar. The dark reaction stage is also known as the carbon fixation stage or the Calvin
cycle. Dark reactions occur in the stroma. The stroma contains enzymes which facilitate a series
of reactions that use ATP, NADPH, and carbon dioxide to produce sugar. The sugar can be
stored in the form of starch, used during respiration, or used in the production of cellulose.
Photosynthesis is a process of food making done by plants and other autotrophic organisms. The
presence of chlorophyll enables these organisms to make their own food. Autotrophic organisms
require light energy, carbon dioxide (CO2), and water (H2O) to make food (sugar).