PHOTOSYNTHESIS

Photosynthesis
Anabolic (small molecules combined)
Endergonic (stores energy)
Carbon dioxide (CO2) requiring process
that uses light energy (photons) and
water (H2O) to produce organic
macromolecules (glucose).

SUN
photons
6CO2 + 6H2O C6H12O6 + 6O2
glucose
2
 Question:

Where does
photosynthesis
take place?

3
 Plants
Autotrophs produce their own food
(glucose)
Process called photosynthesis
Mainly occurs in the leaves:
a. stoma - pores
b.mesophyll cells

Mesophyll Chloroplast
Cell Stoma

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 Stomata (stoma)
Pores in a plants cuticle through
which water vapor and gases (CO2
& O2) are exchanged between the
plant and the atmosphere.

Oxygen
(O2)
Stoma

Guard Cell Guard Cell

Carbon Dioxide
(CO2)
Found on the underside of leaves 5
 Mesophyll Cell of Leaf

Nucleus
Cell Wall
Chloroplast

Central Vacuole

Photosynthesis occurs in these cells! 6

 Chloroplast
Organelle where photosynthesis
takes place.

Stroma
Outer Membrane Thylakoid Granum
Inner Membrane

Thylakoid stacks are connected together 7

 Thylakoid

Thylakoid Membrane

Thylakoid Space
Granum

Grana make up the inner membrane 8

Question:

Why are
plants
green?

9
 Chlorophyll Molecules
Located in the thylakoid membranes
Chlorophyll have Mg+ in the center
Chlorophyll pigments harvest energy
(photons) by absorbing certain
wavelengths (blue-420 nm and red-
660 nm are most important)
Plants are green because the green
wavelength is reflected, not absorbed.

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11
 Wavelength of Light (nm)

400 500 600 700

Short wave Long wave

(more energy) (less energy)

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 Absorption of Light by
Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll absorbs blue-violet & red light best

Absorption

violet blue green yellow orange red

wavelength 13
 Question:
During the fall,
what causes the
leaves to change
colors?
14
 Fall Colors
In addition to the chlorophyll
pigments, there are other pigments
present
During the fall, the green
chlorophyll pigments are greatly
reduced revealing the other pigments
Carotenoids are pigments that are
either red, orange, or yellow

15
 Redox Reaction
The transfer of one or more
electrons from one reactant to
another
Two types:
1. Oxidation is the loss of e-
2. Reduction is the gain of e-

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 Oxidation Reaction
The loss of electrons from a
substance or the gain of
oxygen.

Oxidation

6CO2 + 6H2O C6H12O6 + 6O2

glucose
Carbon Oxygen
Water
dioxide

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 Reduction Reaction
The gain of electrons to a
substance or the loss of
oxygen.

Reduction

6CO2 + 6H2O C6H12O6 + 6O2

glucose

18
 Question:

Why do cells
use for
energy?

19
Energy for Life on Earth
Sunlight is the ULTIMATE
energy for all life on Earth
Plants store energy in the
chemical bonds of sugars
Chemical energy is released as
ATP during cellular respiration

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 Structure of ATP
ATP stands for adenosine
triphosphate
It is composed of the nitrogen base
ADENINE, the pentose (5C) sugar
RIBOSE, and three PHOSPHATE
groups
The LAST phosphate group is bonded
with a HIGH ENERGY chemical bond
This bond can be BROKEN to release
ENERGY for CELLS to use
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Removing a Phosphate from ATP

Breaking the LAST PHOSPHATE bond

from ATP, will ---
Release ENERGY for cells to use
Form ADP
Produce a FREE PHOSPHATE GROUP

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High Energy Phosphate Bond

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FREE PHOSPHATE can be re-attached to
ADP reforming ATP
Process called Phosphorylation

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Phosphorylation

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 Parts of
Photosynthesis

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Two Parts of Photosynthesis
Two reactions make up
photosynthesis:
1.Light Reaction or Light
Dependent Reaction -
Produces energy from solar
power (photons) in the form of
ATP and NADPH.
SUN
27
Two Parts of Photosynthesis
2. Calvin Cycle or Light
Independent Reaction
Also called Carbon Fixation
or C3 Fixation
Uses energy (ATP and
NADPH) from light reaction
to make sugar (glucose).

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Light Reaction (Electron Flow)
Occurs in the Thylakoid
membranes
During the light reaction, there
are two possible routes for
electron flow:
A.Cyclic Electron Flow
B. Noncyclic Electron Flow
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 Cyclic Electron Flow
Occurs in the thylakoid membrane.
Uses Photosystem I only
P700 reaction center- chlorophyll a
Uses Electron Transport Chain
(ETC)
Generates ATP only

ADP + P ATP

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 Cyclic Electron Flow
Primary e-
SUN Electron
Acceptor

e- e- ATP
produced
Photons by ETC
P700
e-
Accessory
Pigments
Photosystem I

Pigments absorb light energy & excite e- of

Chlorophyll a to produce ATP 31
 Noncyclic Electron Flow
Occurs in the thylakoid membrane
Uses Photosystem II and
Photosystem I
P680 reaction center (PSII) -
chlorophyll a
P700 reaction center (PS I) -
chlorophyll a
Uses Electron Transport Chain
(ETC)
Generates O2, ATP and NADPH 32
 Noncyclic Electron Flow
Primary
Electron
Acceptor 2e-
Enzyme
Reaction
Primary
Electron 2e-
Acceptor 2e-
ETC

SUN 2e-
2e- P700 NADPH
Photon
ATP
P680 Photon
H2O Photosystem I

1/2O2 + 2H+ Photosystem II

H2O is split in PSII & ATP is made, while the energy carrier
NADPH is made in PSI
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 Noncyclic Electron Flow

ADP + P ATP
NADP+ + H NADPH
Oxygen comes from the splitting
of H2O, not CO2

H2O 1/2 O2 + 2H+

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 Chemiosmosis
Powers ATP synthesis
Takes place across the thylakoid
membrane
Uses ETC and ATP synthase
(enzyme)
H+ move down their concentration
gradient through channels of ATP
synthase forming ATP from ADP
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 Chemiosmosis
SUN
H+ H+ (Proton Pumping)
Thylakoid E
PS II T PS I
C
high H+
H+ H+
concentration
H+ H+ H+ H+

Thylakoid
H+ ATP Synthase Space

low H+
ADP + P H+ ATP concentration 36
 Calvin Cycle
Carbon Fixation (light independent
reaction)
C3 plants (80% of plants on
earth)
Occurs in the stroma
Uses ATP and NADPH from light
reaction as energy
Uses CO2
To produce glucose: it takes 6
turns and uses 18 ATP and 12
NADPH. 37
 Chloroplast

STROMA where Calvin Cycle occurs

Outer Membrane Thylakoid Granum
Inner Membrane

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 Calvin Cycle (C3 fixation)
(36C)
(6C) 6C-C-C-C-C-C
6CO2 (unstable)
6C-C-C 6C-C-C 12PGA
(36C)
6ATP 6ATP
(30C)
6C-C-C-C-C 6NADPH 6NADPH
RuBP
(36C)
6ATP 6C-C-C 6C-C-C 12G3P

C3 (30C) (6C)
glucose C-C-C-C-C-C
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Glucose
 Calvin Cycle
Remember: C3 = Calvin Cycle

C3

Glucose
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 Photorespiration
Occurs on hot, dry, bright days
Stomates close
Fixation of O2 instead of CO2
Produces 2-C molecules instead of
3-C sugar molecules
Produces no sugar molecules or no
ATP

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 Photorespiration
Because of photorespiration, plants
have special adaptations to limit
the effect of photorespiration:
1. C4 plants
2. CAM plants

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 C4 Plants
Hot, moist
environments
15% of plants
(grasses, corn,
sugarcane)
Photosynthesis
occurs in 2 places
Light reaction -
mesophyll cells
Calvin cycle - bundle
sheath cells
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 C4 Plants
Malate-4C sugar Malate
C-C-C-C C-C-C-C
Transported CO2
CO2
C3
Vascul
glucose Tissu
C-C-C
PEP ATP
C-C-C
Pyruvic Acid

Mesophyll Cell Bundle Sheath Cell

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 CAM Plants
Hot, dry environments
5% of plants (cactus and ice
plants)
Stomates closed during day
Stomates open during the night
Light reaction - occurs during
the day
Calvin Cycle - occurs when CO2 is
present
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 CAM Plants
Night (Stomates Open) Day (Stomates Closed)

Vacuole
C-C-C-C C-C-C-C C-C-C-C
CO2 Malate Malate
Malate

CO2
C3
C-C-C
ATP C-C-C glucose
PEP Pyruvic acid 46
 Question:

Why do CAM
plants close
their stomata
during the day?

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Cam plants close
their stomata in
the hottest part
of the day to
conserve water