PHOTOSYNTHESIS

Arvin C. Diamante
Master Teacher II
Nicolas L. Galvez Memorial Integrated National High School
October 08, 2018
THE SUN: MAIN SOURCE OF
ENERGY FOR LIFE ON EARTH
 Photosynthesis
• Anabolic (small molecules combined)
• Endergonic (stores energy)
• Carbon dioxide (CO2) requiring process
that uses light energy (photons) and
water (H2O) to produce organic
macromolecules (glucose).
SUN

photons
6CO2 + 6H2O  C6H12O6 + 6O2
glucose 3
 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.
Why is Photosynthesis important?

It is the most important life process on

earth!
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!
 Question:

Where does
photosynthesis
take place?

7
 Plants
• Autotrophs – produce their own food
(glucose)
• Process called photosynthesis
• Mainly occurs in the leaves:
a. stoma - pores
b.mesophyll cells

Mesophyll Chloroplast
Cell Stoma

8
Plant Cells
 Mesophyll Cell of Leaf

Nucleus
Cell Wall
Chloroplast

Central Vacuole

Photosynthesis occurs in these cells!

10
 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
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.
 Chloroplast
Organelle where photosynthesis
takes place.
Stroma
Outer Membrane Thylakoid Granum
Inner Membrane

Thylakoid stacks are connected together 13

Chloroplasts
make the
oxygen too!
Stoma
This opening how plants exchange gases!
Check it! Can you name the two important
gases that go in and out of the leaves?
Why are the
stomata
located on the
underside of
leaves?
 Stomata (stoma)
Pores in a plant’s cuticle through
which water vapor and gases (CO2 &
O2) are exchanged between the
plant and the atmosphere.
Oxygen
(O2)
Guard Cell

Stoma

Carbon Dioxide Guard Cell

(CO2)
16
Found on the underside of leaves
Question:

Why are
plants
green?

17
 Chlorophyll Molecules
• Located in the thylakoid membranes
• Chlorophyll have Mg+ in the center
• Chlorophyll pigments harvest energy
(photons) by absorbing certain
wavelengths (blue-420 nm and red-
660 nm are most important)
• Plants are green because the green
wavelength is reflected, not absorbed.

18
20
 Wavelength of Light (nm)

400 500 600 700

Short wave Long wave

(more energy) (less energy)

21
• LIGHT behaves as if it were composed of
"units" or "packets" of energy that travel in
waves. These packets are photons.
• The wavelength of light determines its color.
 Absorption of Light by
Chlorophyll
Chlorophyll absorbs blue-violet & red light best

Absorption

violet blue green yellow orange red

wavelength 24
 Question:

During the fall,

what causes the
leaves to change
colors?
25
 Fall Colors
• In addition to the chlorophyll
pigments, there are other pigments
present
• During the fall, the green
chlorophyll pigments are greatly
reduced revealing the other pigments
• Carotenoids are pigments that are
either red, orange, or yellow

26
 Redox Reaction
The transfer of one or more
electrons from one reactant to
another
Two types:
1. Oxidation is the loss of e-
2. Reduction is the gain of e-

27
 Oxidation Reaction
The loss of electrons from a
substance or the gain of
oxygen.
Oxidation

6CO2 + 6H2O  C6H12O6 + 6O2

glucose
Carbon Oxygen
Water
dioxide

28
 Reduction Reaction
The gain of electrons to a
substance or the loss of
oxygen.
Reduction

6CO2 + 6H2O  C6H12O6 + 6O2

glucose

29
 Parts of
Photosynthesis

30
 AN OVERVIEW OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS
• The light reactions
convert solar energy Light
to chemical energy Chloroplast
• Produce O2, ATP &
NADPH NADP
ADP
+P
• The Calvin cycle makes sugar Light
Calvin
cycle
from carbon dioxide reactions

– ATP generated by the light reactions

provides the energy for sugar
synthesis
– The NADPH produced by the light
reactions provides the electrons for
the reduction of carbon dioxide to
glucose
– G-3-P (any sugar molecule)
Two Parts of Photosynthesis
Two reactions make up
photosynthesis:
1.Light Reaction or Light
Dependent Reaction -
Produces energy from solar
power (photons) in the form of
ATP and NADPH.
SUN

32
Two Parts of Photosynthesis
2. Calvin Cycle or Light
Independent Reaction
• Also called Carbon Fixation
or C3 Fixation
• Uses energy (ATP and
NADPH) from light reaction
to make sugar (glucose).

33
Light Reaction (Electron Flow)
• Occurs in the Thylakoid
membranes
• During the light reaction, there
are two possible routes for
electron flow:
A.Cyclic Electron Flow
B. Noncyclic Electron Flow
34
 PHOTOSYNTHESIS
• Light-dependent reaction (LIGHT 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
 PHOTOSYNTHESIS
• Light-dependent reaction (LIGHT Reaction)
• Energy lost along electron transport chain
• Lost energy used to recharge ATP from ADP

• NADPH produced from e- transport chain

• Stores energy until transfer to stroma
• Plays important role in light-independent reaction

• Total byproducts: ATP, NADP, O2

 Cyclic Electron Flow
• Occurs in the thylakoid membrane.
• Uses Photosystem I only
• P700 reaction center- chlorophyll a
• Uses Electron Transport Chain
(ETC)
• Generates ATP only
P
ADP + ATP

37
 Cyclic Electron Flow
Primary e-
SUN Electron
Acceptor

e- e- ATP
produced
Photons by ETC
P700
e-
Accessory
Pigments
Photosystem I

Pigments absorb light energy & excite e- of Chlorophyll

38
a to produce ATP
 Noncyclic Electron Flow
• Occurs in the thylakoid membrane
• Uses Photosystem II and
Photosystem I
• P680 reaction center (PSII) -
chlorophyll a
• P700 reaction center (PS I) -
chlorophyll a
• Uses Electron Transport Chain
(ETC)
• Generates O2, ATP and NADPH 39
 Noncyclic Electron Flow
Primary
Electron
Acceptor 2e-
Enzyme
Reaction
Primary
Electron 2e-
Acceptor 2e-
ETC

SUN 2e-
2e- P700 NADPH
Photon
ATP
P680 Photon
H2O Photosystem I

1/2O2 + 2H+ Photosystem II

H2O is split in PSII & ATP is made, while the energy carrier NADPH is made
40 in
PSI
 Noncyclic Electron Flow

• ADP +  ATP
P

• NADP+ + H  NADPH
• Oxygen comes from the splitting
of H2O, not CO2

H2O  1/2 O2 + 2H+

41
 Chemiosmosis
• Powers ATP synthesis
• Takes place across the thylakoid
membrane
• Uses ETC and ATP synthase
(enzyme)
• H+ move down their concentration
gradient through channels of ATP
synthase forming ATP from ADP
43
 •The production of ATP by chemiosmosis in
photosynthesis

Thylakoid
compartment
(high H+) Light Light

Thylakoid
membrane

Antenna
molecules

Stroma ELECTRON TRANSPORT

(low H+) CHAIN

PHOTOSYSTEM II PHOTOSYSTEM I ATP SYNTHASE

 Before the Calvin Cycle
To synthesize one glucose molecule,
the Calvin Cycle uses 6 molecules
of CO2, 18 molecules of ATP, and
12 molecules of NADPH
 Calvin Cycle
• Carbon Fixation (light independent
reaction)
• C3 plants (80% of plants on
earth)
• Occurs in the stroma
• Uses ATP and NADPH from light
reaction as energy
• Uses CO2
• To produce glucose: it takes 6
turns and uses 18 ATP and 12
NADPH. 46
Calvin Cycle (C3 fixation)
 PHOTOSYNTHESIS
• Light-independent reaction (Dark Reaction)
• Does not require light
• Calvin Cycle
• Occurs in stroma of chloroplast
• Requires CO2
• Uses ATP and NADPH as fuel to run
• Makes glucose sugar from CO2 and Hydrogen
C3 plants use the C3 pathway
Much photorespiration
occurs under hot, dry
conditions.
CO2 O2

PGA CO2
rubisco
C3
Cycle RuBP
G3P

glucose
stoma
within mesophyll chloropast
bundle-
sheath Little glucose
cells is synthesized.
In a C3 plant, mesophyll cells
contain chloroplasts; bundle-
sheath cells do not.

C3 plants are at a disadvantage in hot, dry climates.

 Photorespiration
• Occurs on hot, dry, bright days
• Stomates close
• Fixation of O2 instead of CO2
• Produces 2-C molecules instead of
3-C sugar molecules
• Produces no sugar molecules or no
ATP

50
 Photorespiration
Because of photorespiration, plants
have special adaptations to limit
the effect of photorespiration:
1. C4 plants
2. CAM plants

51
 C4 Plants
• Hot, moist
environments
• 15% of plants
(grasses, corn,
sugarcane)
• Photosynthesis
occurs in 2 places
• Light reaction -
mesophyll cells
• Calvin cycle - bundle
sheath cells
52
C4 Plants
 CAM Plants
• Hot, dry environments
• 5% of plants (cactus and ice
plants)
• Stomates closed during day
• Stomates open during the night
• Light reaction - occurs during
the day
• Calvin Cycle - occurs when CO2 is
present
54
CAM Plants
 Question:

Why do CAM
plants close
their stomata
during the day?
56
• CAM plants close their
stomata in the hottest part
of the day to conserve
water
58