Membrane.: Chlorophyll Is A Green Pigment in Chloroplasts That Absorbs Light Energy To Start Photosynthesis. It
Membrane.: Chlorophyll Is A Green Pigment in Chloroplasts That Absorbs Light Energy To Start Photosynthesis. It
Membrane.: Chlorophyll Is A Green Pigment in Chloroplasts That Absorbs Light Energy To Start Photosynthesis. It
• Photosynthesis is the process that provides energy for almost all life. Chloroplasts are the
organelles that convert light energy into chemical energy.
• Within the inner membrane of the chloroplast, is the stroma which contains the thylakoid
membrane.
• This membrane produces flat, disc-like sacs called thylakoids that are arranged in stacks and
contain molecules that absorb light energy for photosynthesis.
• Thylakoids
• Harvesting Light Energy, continued
•
• Light is a form of electromagnetic radiation, energy that can travel through empty space in the form
of waves.
• Sunlight contains all of the wavelengths of visible light which we see as different colors.
• A pigment is a substance that absorbs certain wavelengths (colors) of light and reflects all of the
others.
• In plants, light energy is harvested by pigments that are located in the thylakoid membrane of
chloroplasts.
• Harvesting Light Energy, continued
• Chlorophyll is a green pigment in chloroplasts that absorbs light energy to start photosynthesis. It
absorbs mostly blue and red light and reflects green and yellow light, which makes plants appear
green.
• Plants also have pigments called carotenoids which help plants absorb additional light energy.
• When light hits a thylakoid, energy is absorbed by many pigment molecules and eventually
transferred to electron carriers.
• Two Electron Transport Chains
• Electrons from the electron carrier are used to produce new molecules, including ATP, that
temporarily store chemical energy.
• During photosynthesis, one electron transport chain provides energy to make ATP, while the other
provides energy to make NADPH.
•
• Two Electron Transport Chains, continued
Producing ATP
• Step 3: The energy from diffusion of H+ ions through the channel portion of ATP synthase is used
to catalyze a reaction in which a phosphate group is added to a molecule of ADP, producing ATP.
•
• Two Electron Transport Chains, continued
Producing NADPH
• Step 4: Light excites electrons in another chlorophyll molecule. The electrons are passed on to the
second chain and replaced by the de-energized electrons from the first chain.
•
• Two Electron Transport Chains, continued
Producing NADPH
• Step 5: Excited electrons combine with H+ ions and NADP+ to form NADPH.
• NADPH is an electron carrier that provides high-energy electrons needed to store energy in organic
molecules.
• Electron Transport Chains of Photosynthesis
• Producing Sugar
•
• The first two stages of photosynthesis depend directly on light because light energy is used to make
ATP and NADPH.
• In the final stage of photosynthesis, ATP and NADPH are used to produce energy-storing sugar
molecules from the carbon in carbon dioxide.
• The use of carbon dioxide to make organic compounds is called carbon dioxide fixation, or carbon
fixation.
• Producing Sugar, continued
• The reactions that fix carbon dioxide are light-independent reactions (do not require light),
sometimes called dark reactions.
• Atmospheric carbon dioxide is combined with other carbon compounds to produce organic
compounds. ATP and NADPH supply some of the energy required in these reactions.
• Factors that Affect Photosynthesis
• Light intensity, carbon dioxide concentration, and temperature are three environmental factors that
affect photosynthesis.
• Although different plants are adapted to different levels of light, the photosynthesis rate increases
with increases in light intensity until all of the pigments in a chloroplast are being used.