Chapter 7 Photosynthesis: Seven things to know

1. General chemical equation (7.3-7.4)

2. Part of the plant cell involved (7.2)

3. Photosynthesis is composed of 2 processes (7.5) 4. General description of light reaction (7.6-7.9) 5. General description of Calvin cycle (7.10) 6. Importance of ATP and NADPH (7.11) 7. Alternate pathways (7.12)

Common theme in biology: Energy processing

Acquiring energy and transforming it to a form useful for the organism

Energy: the ability to do Work

*Photosynthesis *Cellular Respiration

Photosynthetic Organisms are autotrophs/producers 3

What do plants need to survive? What are the REACTANTS for photosynthesis?

I. General chemical equation

Photosynthesis: Sun energy to chemical energy

Is this process exergonic or endergonic?

II. Parts of plant cell involved

CO2 enters leaf through stomata How about H2O?

Light is absorbed through the green portions of plants leaves

Mesophyll tissue

Tissue composed of cells containing chloroplasts

Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll pigment

Cell

Photosynthesis Overview

Place the following terms in the correct order from BIGGEST to SMALLEST
Thlakoid
Cell Chloroplast Mesophyll Tissue Chlorophyll

III. Photosynthesis is composed of 2 processes

Light Reaction:

Use light energy to split water; make NADPH and ATP

Calvin Cycle Reaction: Incorporate light reaction products; change CO2 to G3P to make glucose

Oxidation-Reduction
Oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions:
LEO says GER
Lose Electrons = Oxidation GER!

Gain Electrons = Reduction

Both take place at same time

One molecule accepts the electron given up by the other

REDOX Reactions

13
GER!

Transfer of electron

Na

Cl

Na

Cl

Na Sodium atom Is oxidized

Cl Chlorine atom Is reduced

Na+ Sodium ion

Cl Chloride ion

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NADPH
Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate

Electron Carrier

Coenzyme
NADP+ + H+ NADPH

IV. General description of light reaction

1. Capture light energy in the form of a photon with chlorophyll pigment and excite electron in photosystem 2. Water splits to replace lost electrons 3. Transfer electron to electron transport chain (ETC) 4. Creation of H+ concentration gradient 5. NADP+ is reduced to NADPH 6. ATP generated with ATP Synthase

Light Reflected light

Chloroplast Thylakoid

Absorbed light

Transmitted light

1. Capture light energy in the form of a photon by pigments

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Excited state
e

Heat

Photon Photon (fluorescence) Ground state

Chlorophyll molecule

Is NADP+ oxidized or reduced?

Stroma (low H+ concentration) Light
H+ H+ H+

Light

5. NADPH produced
NADP+ + H+ ADP + P NADPH

H+ ATP

1. Capture light energy

6. ATP produced
3. Pass electron down ETC
ATP synthase
H2O
1 2

O2 + 2 H+

H+

H+ H+

H+ H+ H+ H+ H+

2. Water splits and releases electron

4. Create H+ gradient

H+
H+

Thylakoid space (high H+ concentration)

Is H2O oxidized or reduced?

What have we done so far?

V. General description of Calvin Cycle (aka Dark Reaction, Light Independent)

1. Carbon fixation of CO2 and cycling of various carbon products 2. Use of light reaction products (NADPH & ATP) 3. Production of G3P (glyceraldehade-3-phosphate) to make glucose

The Calvin Cycle: Fixation of CO2

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1. CO2 fixation

2. Use of light reaction products

3. Make G3P glucose

Step 1 Carbon fixation

Input:

3 CO2

Rubisco
1

Step 2 Reduction

3 P RuBP 3 ADP 3 ATP

6 3-PGA

P 6 ATP

6 ADP + P Step 3 Release of one molecule of G3P

4

CALVIN
CYCLE

6 NADPH 6 NADP+

Step 4 Regeneration of RuBP

5 G3P

P
3

6 G3P

Output: 1
G3P

Glucose and other compounds

Importance of Calvin Cycle

G3P (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate) can be converted to many other molecules
Glucose phosphate (simple sugar) Fatty acids and glycerol to make plant oils Fructose (which with glucose = sucrose) Starch and cellulose Amino acids

General chemical equation

Oxidized
Solar energy

6CO2 + 6H2O

C6H12O6 + 6O2

(+686 kcal/mol)

Reduced

VI. Importance of NADPH and ATP

H2O Chloroplast

Light
NADP+ ADP P LIGHT REACTIONS

(in thylakoids)

VI. Importance of NADPH and ATP

H2O Chloroplast

Light
NADP+ ADP P LIGHT REACTIONS

(in thylakoids) ATP

NADPH

O2

H2O Chloroplast

CO2

Light
NADP+ ADP P LIGHT REACTIONS CALVIN CYCLE (in stroma)

(in thylakoids) ATP

NADPH

O2

Sugar

VII. Alternate pathways

Photorespiration: A wasteful process that produces no ATP or sugars

Occurs in hot, dry climates
Stomata must close to avoid wilting CO2 decreases and O2 increases

VII. Alternate pathways to avoid photorespiration

C4 plants
Examples: corn, sugarcane

Fix CO2 with alternate carbon molecule in different types of cells

Net productivity about 2-3 times C3 plants

Crassulacean-Acid Metabolism (CAM)

Examples: cacti, jade plants, pineapple

Partition carbon fixation by time of day

Chloroplast distribution in C4 vs. C3 Plants

31

CO2 Fixation in a CAM Plant

32

You should now be able to

1.
2.. 3. 4. 5.

Explain the general chemical equation

1. Recognize and define reduction and oxidation equations

Identify the parts of the plant cell involved Identify the 2 processes/stages of photosynthesis and where each occurs Generally describe the events of the Light Reaction Generally describe the events of the Calvin cycle

6.
7.

Explain the importance of ATP and NADPH

Describe photorespiration and the need for alternate pathways

Copyright 2009 Pearson Education, Inc.

Photosynthesis converts includes both (a) to chemical energy

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Calvin Cycle
in which

Sun energy

(b)

Light Reaction

(c)

in which

H2O is split

light-excited electrons of chlorophyll

CO2 is fixed to RuBP and then

and

(d)

O2 is formed

are passed down

reduce NADP+ to using

(h)

Splits to 3 C molecule

(e)

The electron transport chain

(f)

NADPH

to produce

producing
sugar (G3P)
C6H12O6

(g)

ATP
by
chemiosmosis

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