PHOTOSYNTHESIS
• Autotrophic Process: Plants and plant-like organisms
make their energy (glucose) from sunlight.
• Stored as carbohydrate in their bodies.
• 6CO2 + 6H2O + sunlight → C6H12O6 + 6O2
Why is Photosynthesis important?
Makes organic molecules (glucose)
out of inorganic materials (carbon
dioxide and water).
It begins all food chains/webs.
Thus all life is supported by this
process.
It also makes oxygen gas!!
Photosynthesis-starts to ecological food
webs!
Photo-synthesis
means "putting together with light."
Plants use sunlight to turn water and
carbon dioxide into glucose. Glucose
is a kind of sugar.
Plants use glucose as food for energy
and as a building block for growing.
Autotrophs make glucose and
heterotrophs are consumers of it.
Photosynthesis
sunlight
Carbon dioxide + water glucose + oxygen
absorbed by chlorophyll
6CO2 + 6H2O + energy → C6H12O6 + 6O2
As can be seen from the equation for photosynthesis, the
wood, bark, and root came from water and carbon
dioxide.
Plants in Action
-takes
place
on the
leaves
of a
plant
Plants
Leaves are green
because they
contain
the pigment:
chlorophyll
Leaves have a
large surface area
to absorb as much
"Thanks for the Glucose!"
light as possible
Structure of a Leaf
Stoma/ Stomata
-obtains CO2 and Oxygen in the
atmosphere.
-serves as the
entrance and
exit of
substances
Glucose provides the energy and
carbon needed to make other
plant materials like wax and
proteins.
The photograph below is an elodea leaf X
400. Individual cells are clearly visible. The
tiny green structures within the cells are
chloroplasts
this is where
photosynthesis
happens.
Structure of a Chloroplast
Chloroplasts make the sugars!
Chloroplasts
make the
oxygen too!
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
➢Why do we see
green? Green
color from
white light is
reflected NOT
absorbed.
Visible light is only a small part of
the electromagnetic spectrum (all
forms of light).
•In plants and simple
animals, waste
products are removed
by diffusion. Plants, for
example, excrete O2, a
product of
photosynthesis.
EQUATION FOR
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
WATER OXYGEN
6CO2 + 6H2O +ENERGY C6H12O6 + 6O2
CARBON GLUCOSE
DIOXIDE
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
2 Phases/ Stages
1. Light-dependent reaction
2. Light-independent reaction
I. Light-dependent (PHOTOLYSIS):
converts light energy into chemical
energy; produces ATP molecules to be
used to fuel light-independent reaction
-Requires light
-Occurs in chloroplast (in thylakoids)
-Chlorophyll (thylakoid) traps
energy from light
-Light excites electron (e-)
-Kicks e- out of chlorophyll to an
electron transport chain
-Electron transport chain: series of
proteins in thylakoid membrane
-Energy lost along electron transport
chain
-Lost energy used to recharge ATP
from ADP
-NADPH produced from e- transport
chain
• Stores energy until it its transfer to
stroma
• Plays important role in light-
independent reaction
-Total byproducts: ATP, NADP, O2
How did we get O2 as a byproduct?
➢Photolysis: replaces lost electrons
by splitting water
II. Light-independent / Dark
Reaction Stage (Calvin Cycle)
-uses ATP produced to make
simple sugars.
-Does not require light
-Occurs in stroma of
chloroplast
• Requires CO2
• Uses ATP and NADPH as
fuel to run
• Makes glucose sugar from
CO2 and Hydrogen
Oxygen and Sugar!
