IB Biology Topics 3:

Chemistry of Life, Nucleic

Acids & Cell Respiration and
Photosynthesis
2.9 Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis involves the conversion of
light energy into chemical energy.
Light from the sun is composed of a range
of wavelengths.
Chlorophyll is the main photosynthetic
pigment.

Photosynthesis
Chlorophyll absorbs light for
photosynthesis.
Chlorophyll is a green pigment.
This means that chlorophyll reflects green
light and absorbs the other wavelengths of
the visible light spectrum.

Photosynthesis: An Overview
light
6CO2 + 6H2O C6H12O6 + 6O2
The process uses energy from the sun (non-usable energy) to
convert water and carbon dioxide into high-energy sugars and
starches (usable energy) and oxygen
Light and Pigments
Sequence of events:
1. Plants gather suns energy with light-absorbing molecules
called pigments
Chlorophyll- primary pigment, but plants also contain red and orange
pigments; does not absorb green well, which is why most plants
are green!

2. Because light is a form of energy, any compound that absorbs

light, also absorbs the energy.
3. When chlorophyll absorbs light, much of that energy is
transferred directly to electrons in the chlorophyll molecule
raising energy levels of those electrons.
4. These high-energy electrons make photosynthesis work!

Absorption Spectrum:
This is the range of
wavelengths of light that
are absorbed by
chlorophyll, the
photosynthetic pigment

The Reactions of Photosynthesis

Take place in the
chloroplast
2 parts to the processlight dependent & light
independent.

chloroplast
Light dependent

Light independent phase

http://www.emc.maricopa.edu/faculty/farabee/BIOBK/BioBookPS.html

The Reactions of Photosynthesis

Light Dependent Phase
The light dependent phase takes place within
the chloroplasts thylakoids
Thylakoid structure & function:
Saclike photosynthetic material
Arranged in stacks known as grana (singular
granum)
Proteins in the thylakoid membrane make
photosystems- organized chlorophyll & other
pigments that collect light energy

Capturing Energy

What Goes In Must Come Out!

Light Dependent Phase:
Reaction that traps light energy &
convert it to chemical energy (ATP)
Light energy also used in photolysis of
water ( water is split into H & O), oxygen
that is split is released as waste
Goes in: Light, Water, NADP+, and ADP + P
Produced by the reaction but does not leave
the chloroplast: NADPH and ATP (Goes to the
Calvin cycle)
Produced by the reaction but leaves the
chloroplast: Oxygen gas

What Goes In Must Come Out!

Light Independent Phase:
AKA: Calvin Cycle
Reactions in which ATP is used to help bond carbon
dioxide & water together to create glucose.
ATP & H are used as chemical energy to convert
carbon dioxide and water into useful molecules
Goes in: Carbon dioxide, ATP, and NADPH
Produced by the reaction but does not leave the chloroplast:
NADP+ and ADP + P (Goes back to Light Dependent Cycle)
Produced by the reaction but leaves the chloroplast: Sugar

Photosynthesis
Light energy is used to produce ATP, and
to split water molecules to form oxygen
and hydrogen.
ATP and hydrogen are used to fix carbon
dioxide to make organic molecules.

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Photosynthesis
Carbon dioxide molecules are reactants of
photosynthesis and oxygen are products of
photosynthesis.
Why dont photosynthesis and cellular
respiration cancel each other out?
Plants have a consistent rate of cell respiration.
Its pretty slow (plants dont have muscles)

Biomass also serves as a way of measuring

photosynthesis because it is an indirect
reflection of photosynthetic rate.
Measuring the rate of oxygen production or CO2
intake is a direct measurement of photosynthetic
rate
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Photosynthesis
Ways to measure the rate of reaction
1) Aquatic plants release bubbles
Measure vol. of bubbles

2) Terrestrial plants
Measure the carbon dioxide up take and
release

3) Determining biomass a different times

Indirect method
Collected and measured @ different times
Rate of increase calculated to determine rate
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of reaction

Effect of temperature
As temperature increases, photosynthetic
rate increases.
Increased molecular collision

This continues until the temperature

reaches the denaturization point.
Once this temperature is reached,
enzymes and other proteins become
denaturized.
This causes the rate of photosynthesis to
drop suddenly.

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Effect of light intensity

As light intensity increases, the rate of
photosynthesis increases.
This increase continues until a certain
intensity is reached.
Once a certain intensity is met and
enzymes are working at their maximum
rate, the rate of photosynthesis plateaus.

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Effect of carbon dioxide

concentration
As carbon dioxide concentration
increases, the photosynthetic rate
increases.
This increase continues until carbon
dioxide reaches a certain point and the
rate of photosynthesis plateaus.

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IB Biology Topics 3:
Chemistry of Life, Nucleic
Acids & Cell Respiration and
Photosynthesis
2.8 Cell Respiration

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Some exciting stuff.

Covalent bonds in glucose, a.a., or fatty acids
represent stored chemical energy.
Burning wood release of stored chemical
energy in the from of heat and light.
Rapid oxidation: not controlled by enzymes & results
in the breaking of may covalent bonds in a short
period of time uncontrolled energy release
Slow oxidation: how cells break down organic
nutrients
Molecules (glucose) is acted on by a series of enzymes
Catalyse a sequential series of reactions that break covalent bonds (oxidized) one
at a time.

Each time a bond is broken energy is released

Ultimate Goal of releasing energy in a controlled way

is to trap the released energy in the form of ATP.

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Cell Respiration
Cell respiration: the controlled release of
energy from organic compounds in cells to
form ATP
In cell respiration, glucose in the
cytoplasm is broken down by glycolysis
into pyruvate, with a small yield of ATP

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Glycolysis
If glucose is being metabolized
Glucose enters a cell through the plasma
membrane & floats in the cytoplasm
1. an enzyme modifies glucose slightly
2. 2nd enzyme modifies it even more
3. series of reactions which cleave the 6 carbon
glucose into 2 3-carbon molecules (pyruvate)
Some covalent bonds in glucose were broken
some energy that was released from breaking the
bonds was used to form a small # of ATP
2 ATP needed to begin gylcolysis
4 ATP formed
NET GAIN = 2 ATP
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Aerobic Respiration
Begins with glycolysis
Glycolysis generates 2 ATP molecules and
2 pyruvate.

The pyruvate enter the mitochondria.

Each pyruvate loses a carbon dioxide
molecule and becomes acetyl-CoA.

Acetyl-CoA enters the Krebs Cycle.

From the Krebs Cycle, two more carbon
dioxide molecules are produced from each
original pyruvate that entered.
Cycle because each time it returns to the
molecule it reacts with there is another
incoming acetyl-CoA

Some ATP is generated in the Krebs

Cycle.
Because oxygen is present, aerobic cell
respiration breaks down a glucose
molecule.

The end products are carbon dioxide and

water.
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Cellular Respiration: Step 1: Glycolysis

Glycolysis is the process when 1
molecule of glucose(reactant) is broken
down into:
2 molecules of pyruvic acid
3-carbon molecule
Product of Glycolysis
Reactant of Krebs Cycle

2 ATP molecules (Product)

Cellular Respiration: Step 1: Glycolysis

90% available energy is still locked
inside the pyruvic acid molecules
Takes place in the cytoplasm.

2 Pyruvic acid
Glucose

To the
electron
transport
chain

Cellular Respiration: Step 2: Krebs Cycle

Overview
The Krebs Cycle is the process where
pyruvic acid is broken down into:

carbon dioxide (PRODUCT- waste),

ATP (PRODUCT- energy!),
NADH (PRODUCT- can generate ATP),
FADH2 (PRODUCT- can generate ATP)

Takes place in the mitochondria.

ENERGY TALLY (PRODUCT) from 1 pyruvic
acid molecule: 4 NADH, 1 FADH2, & 2 ATP

Cellular Respiration:
Step 3: Electron Transport Chain

Electron carriers (carrier molecules) are

compounds that can accept a pair of
highly energized electrons and take
them (electron transport chain) and most
of their energy to another part of the cell
In eukaryotes, it happens in the inner
membrane of the mitochondria
In prokaryotes, it happens in the cell
membrane
Produces most of the ATP in the process
(32 ATP molecules)

Anaerobic Respiration
Gylcolysis is common to all organisms
Fermentation breakdown of organic
molecules for ATP production in an anaerobic
way

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Cellular Respiration: Fermentation

An anaerobic (no oxygen) reaction
1. Alcoholic Fermentation
Glycolysis then the 2 pyruvate molecules
are converted into ethanol
Pyruvic acid + NADH alcohol + CO2 +
NAD+ + 2ATP
Ethanol & carbon dioxide are waste
Ethanol 2 carbon molecule, a carbon is
lost & given off as carbon dioxide
Examples- yeast and other microscopic
organisms use, causes bread dough to
rise

Cellular Respiration: Fermentation

An anaerobic (no oxygen) reaction
2. Lactic Acid Fermentation
Exercise rate exceeds a persons capability of
supplying oxygen, then some glucose entering
cell resp. will follow the anaerobic pathway
lactic acid fermentation
Pyruvic acid + NADH lactic acid + NAD+ + 2ATP
Excess pyruvate molecules are converted into
lactic acid, a 3 carbon molecule so no carbon
dioxide is produced
Build up of lactic acid in muscle tissue causes
cramping
Allows glycolysis to continue with the small gain
of ATP generated in addition to ATP already being
generated through aerobic pathways