Overview of Photosynthesis
The process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy.
What is photosynthesis?
These reactions convert solar energy to chemical energy.
What are the light reactions?
The Calvin cycle is also known as this.
What is the dark reaction or light-independent reaction?
The primary pigment that absorbs light for photosynthesis.
What is chlorophyll a?
The type of photosynthesis that minimizes photorespiration by fixing CO2 into four-carbon compounds.
What is C4 photosynthesis?
The organelle where photosynthesis takes place in plants.
What is the chloroplast?
The light reactions take place in this part of the chloroplast.
What is the thylakoid membrane?
The first molecule that CO2 is fixed into during the Calvin cycle.
What is 3-phosphoglycerate (3-PGA)?
This accessory pigment absorbs light in the blue and red wavelengths and reflects green.
What is chlorophyll b?
Plants that fix CO2 into organic acids at night and release it for use in the Calvin cycle during the day.
What are CAM plants?
The gas taken in by plants during photosynthesis.
What is carbon dioxide?
The molecule that acts as the final electron acceptor in the light reactions.
What is NADP+?
The enzyme that catalyzes the fixation of CO2 in the Calvin cycle.
What is Rubisco?
Pigments that protect plants from excessive light by dissipating excess energy as heat.
What are carotenoids?
The process by which O2 competes with CO2 and attaches to RuBP.
What is photorespiration?
The main pigment involved in photosynthesis.
What is chlorophyll?
The process by which ATP is formed using the energy of sunlight.
What is photophosphorylation?
The molecule regenerated in the Calvin cycle that allows the cycle to continue.
What is ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP)?
Leaves change color in autumn when chlorophyll breaks down. Explain why this happens.
What are carotenoids and xanthophylls that become visible as chlorophyll degrades?
An example of a C4 plant.
What is maize (corn)?
The sugar molecule produced during photosynthesis.
What is glucose?
The products of the light reactions that are used in the Calvin cycle.
What are ATP and NADPH?
The number of CO2 molecules needed to produce one molecule of glucose in the Calvin cycle.
What is 6?
How could you determine which wavelengths of light are most effective for photosynthesis?
What are experiments that measure photosynthetic rate (like oxygen production) under different colors of light?
An example of a CAM plant.
What is a cactus?