Sophomore Biology Chapter 8
what are electron carrier molecules?
a compound that can accept a pair of high- energy electrons and transfer them, along with most of their energy, to another molecules
NADP+
carrier molecule that transfers high- energy electrons from chlorophyll to other molecules; als known as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate
ATP synthase
clister of proteins that span the cell membrane and allow hydrogen ions (H+) to pass through it
photosystems
cluster of chlolophyll and proteins found in thylakoids
adenosine triphosphate
compound used by cells to store and realse energy; also known as ATP
stroma
fluid portion of the chlolrplast; outside of the thylakoids
pigments
light- absorbing molecule used by plants to gather the suns energy
calvin cycle
light-dependent reactiond of photosynthesis in which energy from ATP and NADPH is used to build high-energy compounds such as sugar
autotrophs
organism that is able to capture energy from sunlight or chemicals and use it to prouduce it's own food from inorganic compounds; also known as a producer
heterotrophs
organism that obtain food by consuming other living things; aslo called a consumer
what are the reactants and products of photosynthesis?
photosynthesis uses the energy of sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide(reactants) into high-energy sugars and oxygen (products)
what role do pigments play in the process of photosynthesis?
photosynthetic organisms capture energy from sunlight with pigments
what happens during the process of photosynthesis?
plants convert energy of sunlight into chemical energy stored in the bonds of carbohydrates
chlorophyll
pricncipal pigment of plants and other photosynthetic organisms
what happens during the light- dependent reactions?
use energy from sunlight to produce oxygen ad convert ADP and NADP+ into the energy carriers ATP and NADPH
what happens during the light-independent reactions?
ATP and NADPH from the light-reactions are used to produce high-energy sugars
why is ATP useful to cells?
ATP can easily realease and store energy by breaking and reforming the bonds between it's phosphate groups. this characteristic of ATP makes it exceptionally useful as a basic energy source for all cells
photosynthesis
process used by plants and other autotrophs to capture light energy and use it to power chemyical reactions that convert carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and energy- rich carbohydrates such as sugars and starches
thylakoids
saclike photosynthetic membranes found in chloroplasts
electron transport chain
series of electron carrier proteins that shuttle high- energy electrons during ATP generating reactions
light-independent reactions
set of reactions in photosynthesis that do not require light; energy from ATP and NADPH is used to build high-energy compounds such as a sugar; also called the calvin cycle
light-dependent reactions
set of reactions in photosynthesis that use energy from light to produce ATP and NADPH
what factors affect photosynthesis?
temperature light intensity, and the availablity of water
