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Development of the idea
Overall reaction of photosynthesis.
- Basic products of photosynthesis
- Evolution of the process
- Light intensity and temperature
- Carbon dioxide
- Internal factors
- Energy efficiency of photosynthesis
- Structural features
- Light absorption and energy transfer
- The pathway of electrons
- Evidence of two light reactions
- Photosystems I and II
- Quantum requirements
- The process of photosynthesis: the conversion of light energy to ATP
- Elucidation of the carbon pathway
- Carboxylation
- Isomerization/condensation/dismutation
- Phosphorylation
- Regulation of the cycle
- Products of carbon reduction
- Photorespiration
- Carbon fixation in C 4 plants
- Carbon fixation via crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM)
- Differences in carbon fixation pathways
- The molecular biology of photosynthesis
Why is photosynthesis important?
What is the basic formula for photosynthesis, which organisms can photosynthesize.
photosynthesis
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- Table Of Contents
Photosynthesis is critical for the existence of the vast majority of life on Earth. It is the way in which virtually all energy in the biosphere becomes available to living things. As primary producers, photosynthetic organisms form the base of Earth’s food webs and are consumed directly or indirectly by all higher life-forms. Additionally, almost all the oxygen in the atmosphere is due to the process of photosynthesis. If photosynthesis ceased, there would soon be little food or other organic matter on Earth, most organisms would disappear, and Earth’s atmosphere would eventually become nearly devoid of gaseous oxygen.
The process of photosynthesis is commonly written as: 6CO 2 + 6H 2 O → C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6O 2 . This means that the reactants, six carbon dioxide molecules and six water molecules, are converted by light energy captured by chlorophyll (implied by the arrow) into a sugar molecule and six oxygen molecules, the products. The sugar is used by the organism, and the oxygen is released as a by-product.
The ability to photosynthesize is found in both eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms. The most well-known examples are plants, as all but a very few parasitic or mycoheterotrophic species contain chlorophyll and produce their own food. Algae are the other dominant group of eukaryotic photosynthetic organisms. All algae, which include massive kelps and microscopic diatoms , are important primary producers. Cyanobacteria and certain sulfur bacteria are photosynthetic prokaryotes, in whom photosynthesis evolved. No animals are thought to be independently capable of photosynthesis, though the emerald green sea slug can temporarily incorporate algae chloroplasts in its body for food production.
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photosynthesis , the process by which green plants and certain other organisms transform light energy into chemical energy . During photosynthesis in green plants, light energy is captured and used to convert water , carbon dioxide , and minerals into oxygen and energy-rich organic compounds .
It would be impossible to overestimate the importance of photosynthesis in the maintenance of life on Earth . If photosynthesis ceased, there would soon be little food or other organic matter on Earth. Most organisms would disappear, and in time Earth’s atmosphere would become nearly devoid of gaseous oxygen. The only organisms able to exist under such conditions would be the chemosynthetic bacteria , which can utilize the chemical energy of certain inorganic compounds and thus are not dependent on the conversion of light energy.
Energy produced by photosynthesis carried out by plants millions of years ago is responsible for the fossil fuels (i.e., coal , oil , and gas ) that power industrial society . In past ages, green plants and small organisms that fed on plants increased faster than they were consumed, and their remains were deposited in Earth’s crust by sedimentation and other geological processes. There, protected from oxidation , these organic remains were slowly converted to fossil fuels. These fuels not only provide much of the energy used in factories, homes, and transportation but also serve as the raw material for plastics and other synthetic products. Unfortunately, modern civilization is using up in a few centuries the excess of photosynthetic production accumulated over millions of years. Consequently, the carbon dioxide that has been removed from the air to make carbohydrates in photosynthesis over millions of years is being returned at an incredibly rapid rate. The carbon dioxide concentration in Earth’s atmosphere is rising the fastest it ever has in Earth’s history, and this phenomenon is expected to have major implications on Earth’s climate .
Requirements for food, materials, and energy in a world where human population is rapidly growing have created a need to increase both the amount of photosynthesis and the efficiency of converting photosynthetic output into products useful to people. One response to those needs—the so-called Green Revolution , begun in the mid-20th century—achieved enormous improvements in agricultural yield through the use of chemical fertilizers , pest and plant- disease control, plant breeding , and mechanized tilling, harvesting, and crop processing. This effort limited severe famines to a few areas of the world despite rapid population growth , but it did not eliminate widespread malnutrition . Moreover, beginning in the early 1990s, the rate at which yields of major crops increased began to decline. This was especially true for rice in Asia. Rising costs associated with sustaining high rates of agricultural production, which required ever-increasing inputs of fertilizers and pesticides and constant development of new plant varieties, also became problematic for farmers in many countries.
A second agricultural revolution , based on plant genetic engineering , was forecast to lead to increases in plant productivity and thereby partially alleviate malnutrition. Since the 1970s, molecular biologists have possessed the means to alter a plant’s genetic material (deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA ) with the aim of achieving improvements in disease and drought resistance, product yield and quality, frost hardiness, and other desirable properties. However, such traits are inherently complex, and the process of making changes to crop plants through genetic engineering has turned out to be more complicated than anticipated. In the future such genetic engineering may result in improvements in the process of photosynthesis, but by the first decades of the 21st century, it had yet to demonstrate that it could dramatically increase crop yields.
Another intriguing area in the study of photosynthesis has been the discovery that certain animals are able to convert light energy into chemical energy. The emerald green sea slug ( Elysia chlorotica ), for example, acquires genes and chloroplasts from Vaucheria litorea , an alga it consumes, giving it a limited ability to produce chlorophyll . When enough chloroplasts are assimilated , the slug may forgo the ingestion of food. The pea aphid ( Acyrthosiphon pisum ) can harness light to manufacture the energy-rich compound adenosine triphosphate (ATP); this ability has been linked to the aphid’s manufacture of carotenoid pigments.
General characteristics
The study of photosynthesis began in 1771 with observations made by the English clergyman and scientist Joseph Priestley . Priestley had burned a candle in a closed container until the air within the container could no longer support combustion . He then placed a sprig of mint plant in the container and discovered that after several days the mint had produced some substance (later recognized as oxygen) that enabled the confined air to again support combustion. In 1779 the Dutch physician Jan Ingenhousz expanded upon Priestley’s work, showing that the plant had to be exposed to light if the combustible substance (i.e., oxygen) was to be restored. He also demonstrated that this process required the presence of the green tissues of the plant.
In 1782 it was demonstrated that the combustion-supporting gas (oxygen) was formed at the expense of another gas, or “fixed air,” which had been identified the year before as carbon dioxide. Gas-exchange experiments in 1804 showed that the gain in weight of a plant grown in a carefully weighed pot resulted from the uptake of carbon, which came entirely from absorbed carbon dioxide, and water taken up by plant roots; the balance is oxygen, released back to the atmosphere. Almost half a century passed before the concept of chemical energy had developed sufficiently to permit the discovery (in 1845) that light energy from the sun is stored as chemical energy in products formed during photosynthesis.
This equation is merely a summary statement, for the process of photosynthesis actually involves numerous reactions catalyzed by enzymes (organic catalysts ). These reactions occur in two stages: the “light” stage, consisting of photochemical (i.e., light-capturing) reactions; and the “dark” stage, comprising chemical reactions controlled by enzymes . During the first stage, the energy of light is absorbed and used to drive a series of electron transfers, resulting in the synthesis of ATP and the electron-donor-reduced nicotine adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). During the dark stage, the ATP and NADPH formed in the light-capturing reactions are used to reduce carbon dioxide to organic carbon compounds. This assimilation of inorganic carbon into organic compounds is called carbon fixation.
Van Niel’s proposal was important because the popular (but incorrect) theory had been that oxygen was removed from carbon dioxide (rather than hydrogen from water, releasing oxygen) and that carbon then combined with water to form carbohydrate (rather than the hydrogen from water combining with CO 2 to form CH 2 O).
By 1940 chemists were using heavy isotopes to follow the reactions of photosynthesis. Water marked with an isotope of oxygen ( 18 O) was used in early experiments. Plants that photosynthesized in the presence of water containing H 2 18 O produced oxygen gas containing 18 O; those that photosynthesized in the presence of normal water produced normal oxygen gas. These results provided definitive support for van Niel’s theory that the oxygen gas produced during photosynthesis is derived from water.
ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRY
Photosynthesis.
Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create oxygen and energy in the form of sugar.
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Learning materials, instructional links.
- Photosynthesis (Google doc)
Most life on Earth depends on photosynthesis .The process is carried out by plants, algae, and some types of bacteria, which capture energy from sunlight to produce oxygen (O 2 ) and chemical energy stored in glucose (a sugar). Herbivores then obtain this energy by eating plants, and carnivores obtain it by eating herbivores.
The process
During photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and water (H 2 O) from the air and soil. Within the plant cell, the water is oxidized, meaning it loses electrons, while the carbon dioxide is reduced, meaning it gains electrons. This transforms the water into oxygen and the carbon dioxide into glucose. The plant then releases the oxygen back into the air, and stores energy within the glucose molecules.
Chlorophyll
Inside the plant cell are small organelles called chloroplasts , which store the energy of sunlight. Within the thylakoid membranes of the chloroplast is a light-absorbing pigment called chlorophyll , which is responsible for giving the plant its green color. During photosynthesis , chlorophyll absorbs energy from blue- and red-light waves, and reflects green-light waves, making the plant appear green.
Light-dependent Reactions vs. Light-independent Reactions
While there are many steps behind the process of photosynthesis, it can be broken down into two major stages: light-dependent reactions and light-independent reactions. The light-dependent reaction takes place within the thylakoid membrane and requires a steady stream of sunlight, hence the name light- dependent reaction. The chlorophyll absorbs energy from the light waves, which is converted into chemical energy in the form of the molecules ATP and NADPH . The light-independent stage, also known as the Calvin cycle , takes place in the stroma , the space between the thylakoid membranes and the chloroplast membranes, and does not require light, hence the name light- independent reaction. During this stage, energy from the ATP and NADPH molecules is used to assemble carbohydrate molecules, like glucose, from carbon dioxide.
C3 and C4 Photosynthesis
Not all forms of photosynthesis are created equal, however. There are different types of photosynthesis, including C3 photosynthesis and C4 photosynthesis. C3 photosynthesis is used by the majority of plants. It involves producing a three-carbon compound called 3-phosphoglyceric acid during the Calvin Cycle, which goes on to become glucose. C4 photosynthesis, on the other hand, produces a four-carbon intermediate compound, which splits into carbon dioxide and a three-carbon compound during the Calvin Cycle. A benefit of C4 photosynthesis is that by producing higher levels of carbon, it allows plants to thrive in environments without much light or water. The National Geographic Society is making this content available under a Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-SA license . The License excludes the National Geographic Logo (meaning the words National Geographic + the Yellow Border Logo) and any images that are included as part of each content piece. For clarity the Logo and images may not be removed, altered, or changed in any way.
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Photosynthesis
Reviewed by: BD Editors
Photosynthesis Definition
Photosynthesis is the biochemical pathway which converts the energy of light into the bonds of glucose molecules. The process of photosynthesis occurs in two steps. In the first step, energy from light is stored in the bonds of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). These two energy-storing cofactors are then used in the second step of photosynthesis to produce organic molecules by combining carbon molecules derived from carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). The second step of photosynthesis is known as the Calvin Cycle. These organic molecules can then be used by mitochondria to produce ATP, or they can be combined to form glucose, sucrose, and other carbohydrates. The chemical equation for the entire process can be seen below.
Photosynthesis Equation
Above is the overall reaction for photosynthesis. Using the energy from light and the hydrogens and electrons from water, the plant combines the carbons found in carbon dioxide into more complex molecules. While a 3-carbon molecule is the direct result of photosynthesis, glucose is simply two of these molecules combined and is often represented as the direct result of photosynthesis due to glucose being a foundational molecule in many cellular systems. You will also notice that 6 gaseous oxygen molecules are produced, as a by-produce. The plant can use this oxygen in its mitochondria during oxidative phosphorylation . While some of the oxygen is used for this purpose, a large portion is expelled into the atmosphere and allows us to breathe and undergo our own oxidative phosphorylation, on sugar molecules derived from plants. You will also notice that this equation shows water on both sides. That is because 12 water molecules are split during the light reactions, while 6 new molecules are produced during and after the Calvin cycle. While this is the general equation for the entire process, there are many individual reactions which contribute to this pathway.
Stages of Photosynthesis
The light reactions.
The light reactions happen in the thylakoid membranes of the chloroplasts of plant cells. The thylakoids have densely packed protein and enzyme clusters known as photosystems . There are two of these systems, which work in conjunction with each other to remove electrons and hydrogens from water and transfer them to the cofactors ADP and NADP + . These photosystems were named in the order of which they were discovered, which is opposite of how electrons flow through them. As seen in the image below, electrons excited by light energy flow first through photosystem II (PSII), and then through photosystem I (PSI) as they create NADPH. ATP is created by the protein ATP synthase , which uses the build-up of hydrogen atoms to drive the addition of phosphate groups to ADP.
The entire system works as follows. A photosystem is comprised of various proteins that surround and connect a series of pigment molecules . Pigments are molecules that absorb various photons, allowing their electrons to become excited. Chlorophyll a is the main pigment used in these systems, and collects the final energy transfer before releasing an electron. Photosystem II starts this process of electrons by using the light energy to split a water molecule, which releases the hydrogen while siphoning off the electrons. The electrons are then passed through plastoquinone, an enzyme complex that releases more hydrogens into the thylakoid space . The electrons then flow through a cytochrome complex and plastocyanin to reach photosystem I. These three complexes form an electron transport chain , much like the one seen in mitochondria. Photosystem I then uses these electrons to drive the reduction of NADP + to NADPH. The additional ATP made during the light reactions comes from ATP synthase, which uses the large gradient of hydrogen molecules to drive the formation of ATP.
The Calvin Cycle
With its electron carriers NADPH and ATP all loaded up with electrons, the plant is now ready to create storable energy. This happens during the Calvin Cycle , which is very similar to the citric acid cycle seen in mitochondria. However, the citric acid cycle creates ATP other electron carriers from 3-carbon molecules, while the Calvin cycle produces these products with the use of NADPH and ATP. The cycle has 3 phases, as seen in the graphic below.
During the first phase, a carbon is added to a 5-carbon sugar, creating an unstable 6-carbon sugar. In phase two, this sugar is reduced into two stable 3-carbon sugar molecules. Some of these molecules can be used in other metabolic pathways, and are exported. The rest remain to continue cycling through the Calvin cycle. During the third phase, the five-carbon sugar is regenerated to start the process over again. The Calvin cycle occurs in the stroma of a chloroplast. While not considered part of the Calvin cycle, these products can be used to create a variety of sugars and structural molecules.
Products of Photosynthesis
The direct products of the light reactions and the Calvin cycle are 3-phosphoglycerate and G3P, two different forms of a 3-carbon sugar molecule. Two of these molecules combined equals one glucose molecule, the product seen in the photosynthesis equation. While this is the main food source for plants and animals, these 3-carbon skeletons can be combined into many different forms. A structural form worth note is cellulose , and extremely strong fibrous material made essentially of strings of glucose. Besides sugars and sugar-based molecules, oxygen is the other main product of photosynthesis. Oxygen created from photosynthesis fuels every respiring organism on the planet.
Lodish, H., Berk, A., Kaiser, C. A., Krieger, M., Scott, M. P., Bretscher, A., . . . Matsudaira, P. (2008). Molecular Cell Biology 6th. ed . New York: W.H. Freeman and Company. Nelson, D. L., & Cox, M. M. (2008). Principles of Biochemistry . New York: W.H. Freeman and Company.
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Photosynthesis
What is photosynthesis.
It is the process by which green plants, algae, and certain bacteria convert light energy from the sun into chemical energy that is used to make glucose. The word ‘photosynthesis’ is derived from the Greek word phōs, meaning ‘light’ and synthesis meaning ‘combining together.’
Jan Ingenhousz, the Dutch-born British physician and scientist, discovered the process of photosynthesis.
Where does Photosynthesis Occur
Photosynthesis takes place mainly in the leaves of green plants and also in the stems of herbaceous plants as they also contain chlorophyll. Sometimes it also occurs in roots that contain chlorophyll like in water chestnut and Heart-leaved moonseed. Apart from plants, photosynthesis is also found to occur in blue-green algae.
What Happens During Photosynthesis
It involves a chemical reaction where water, carbon dioxide, chlorophyll, and solar energy are utilized as raw materials (inputs) to produce glucose, oxygen, and water (outputs).
Stages of the Process
Photosynthesis occurs in two stages:
1) The Light-dependent Reaction
- Takes place in the thylakoid membranes of chloroplasts only during the day in the presence of sunlight
- High-energy phosphate molecules adenosine triphosphate ( ATP ) and the reducing agent NADPH are produced with the help of electron transport chain
2) The Light-independent or Dark Reaction ( Calvin cycle )
- Takes place in the stroma of chloroplast in the absence of light that helps to fix carbon
- ATP and NADPH produced in the light reaction are utilized along with carbon dioxide to produce sugar in the form of glucose
Factors Affecting the Rate of Photosynthesis
- Intensity of Light: The higher intensity of light increases the rate of photosynthesis
- Temperature: Warmer the temperature, higher the rate of photosynthesis. The rate is highest between the temperatures of 25° to 35° C, after which it starts to decrease
- Concentration of Carbon dioxide: Higher concentration of carbon dioxide increases the rate of photosynthesis until it reaches a certain point, beyond which no further effects are found
Although all the above factors together interact to affect the rate of photosynthesis, each of them individually is also capable of directly influencing the process without the other factors and thus called limiting factors.
Importance of Photosynthesis
It serves two main purposes that are essential to support life on earth:
- Producing food for organisms that depend on others for their nutrition such as humans along with all other animals
- Synthesizing oxygen by replacing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
Ans. Photosynthesis is an endothermic reaction because it absorbs the heat of the sun to carry out the process.
Ans. The oxygen in photosynthesis comes from splitting the water molecules.
Ans. Chlorophyll is the main light-absorbing pigment in photosynthesis.
Ans. The role of water is to provide oxygen in the form of oxygen gas to the atmosphere.
Ans. Sunlight is the source of energy that drives photosynthesis.
Ans. The easiest way to measure the rate of photosynthesis is to quantify the carbon dioxide or oxygen levels using a data logger. The rate of photosynthesis can also be measured by determining the increase in the plant ’s biomass (weight).
Ans. Photosynthesis is an energy-requiring process occurring only in green plants, algae, and certain bacteria that utilizes carbon dioxide and water to produce food in the form of carbohydrates. In contrast, cellular respiration is an energy-releasing process found in all living organisms where oxygen and glucose are utilized to produce carbon dioxide and water.
Ans. Glucose produced in photosynthesis is used in cellular respiration to make ATP.
Article was last reviewed on Tuesday, April 21, 2020
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Photosynthetic Cells
Cells get nutrients from their environment, but where do those nutrients come from? Virtually all organic material on Earth has been produced by cells that convert energy from the Sun into energy-containing macromolecules. This process, called photosynthesis, is essential to the global carbon cycle and organisms that conduct photosynthesis represent the lowest level in most food chains (Figure 1).
What Is Photosynthesis? Why Is it Important?
Most living things depend on photosynthetic cells to manufacture the complex organic molecules they require as a source of energy. Photosynthetic cells are quite diverse and include cells found in green plants, phytoplankton, and cyanobacteria. During the process of photosynthesis, cells use carbon dioxide and energy from the Sun to make sugar molecules and oxygen. These sugar molecules are the basis for more complex molecules made by the photosynthetic cell, such as glucose. Then, via respiration processes, cells use oxygen and glucose to synthesize energy-rich carrier molecules, such as ATP, and carbon dioxide is produced as a waste product. Therefore, the synthesis of glucose and its breakdown by cells are opposing processes.
However, photosynthesis doesn't just drive the carbon cycle — it also creates the oxygen necessary for respiring organisms. Interestingly, although green plants contribute much of the oxygen in the air we breathe, phytoplankton and cyanobacteria in the world's oceans are thought to produce between one-third and one-half of atmospheric oxygen on Earth.
What Cells and Organelles Are Involved in Photosynthesis?
Chlorophyll A is the major pigment used in photosynthesis, but there are several types of chlorophyll and numerous other pigments that respond to light, including red, brown, and blue pigments. These other pigments may help channel light energy to chlorophyll A or protect the cell from photo-damage. For example, the photosynthetic protists called dinoflagellates, which are responsible for the "red tides" that often prompt warnings against eating shellfish, contain a variety of light-sensitive pigments, including both chlorophyll and the red pigments responsible for their dramatic coloration.
What Are the Steps of Photosynthesis?
Photosynthesis consists of both light-dependent reactions and light-independent reactions . In plants, the so-called "light" reactions occur within the chloroplast thylakoids, where the aforementioned chlorophyll pigments reside. When light energy reaches the pigment molecules, it energizes the electrons within them, and these electrons are shunted to an electron transport chain in the thylakoid membrane. Every step in the electron transport chain then brings each electron to a lower energy state and harnesses its energy by producing ATP and NADPH. Meanwhile, each chlorophyll molecule replaces its lost electron with an electron from water; this process essentially splits water molecules to produce oxygen (Figure 5).
Once the light reactions have occurred, the light-independent or "dark" reactions take place in the chloroplast stroma. During this process, also known as carbon fixation, energy from the ATP and NADPH molecules generated by the light reactions drives a chemical pathway that uses the carbon in carbon dioxide (from the atmosphere) to build a three-carbon sugar called glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G3P). Cells then use G3P to build a wide variety of other sugars (such as glucose) and organic molecules. Many of these interconversions occur outside the chloroplast, following the transport of G3P from the stroma. The products of these reactions are then transported to other parts of the cell, including the mitochondria, where they are broken down to make more energy carrier molecules to satisfy the metabolic demands of the cell. In plants, some sugar molecules are stored as sucrose or starch.
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Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is a process by which phototrophs convert light energy into chemical energy, which is later used to fuel cellular activities. The chemical energy is stored in the form of sugars, which are created from water and carbon dioxide.
Table of Contents
- What is Photosynthesis?
- Site of photosynthesis
What Is Photosynthesis in Biology?
The word “ photosynthesis ” is derived from the Greek words phōs (pronounced: “fos”) and σύνθεσις (pronounced: “synthesis “) Phōs means “light” and σύνθεσις means, “combining together.” This means “ combining together with the help of light .”
Photosynthesis also applies to other organisms besides green plants. These include several prokaryotes such as cyanobacteria, purple bacteria and green sulfur bacteria. These organisms exhibit photosynthesis just like green plants.The glucose produced during photosynthesis is then used to fuel various cellular activities. The by-product of this physio-chemical process is oxygen.
A visual representation of the photosynthesis reaction
- Photosynthesis is also used by algae to convert solar energy into chemical energy. Oxygen is liberated as a by-product and light is considered as a major factor to complete the process of photosynthesis.
- Photosynthesis occurs when plants use light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen. Leaves contain microscopic cellular organelles known as chloroplasts.
- Each chloroplast contains a green-coloured pigment called chlorophyll. Light energy is absorbed by chlorophyll molecules whereas carbon dioxide and oxygen enter through the tiny pores of stomata located in the epidermis of leaves.
- Another by-product of photosynthesis is sugars such as glucose and fructose.
- These sugars are then sent to the roots, stems, leaves, fruits, flowers and seeds. In other words, these sugars are used by the plants as an energy source, which helps them to grow. These sugar molecules then combine with each other to form more complex carbohydrates like cellulose and starch. The cellulose is considered as the structural material that is used in plant cell walls.
Where Does This Process Occur?
Chloroplasts are the sites of photosynthesis in plants and blue-green algae. All green parts of a plant, including the green stems, green leaves, and sepals – floral parts comprise of chloroplasts – green colour plastids. These cell organelles are present only in plant cells and are located within the mesophyll cells of leaves.
Photosynthesis process requires several factors such as: Increased light intensity results in a higher rate of photosynthesis. On the other hand, low light intensity results in a lower rate of photosynthesis. Higher concentration of carbon dioxide helps in increasing the rate of photosynthesis. Usually, carbon dioxide in the range of 300 – 400 PPM is adequate for photosynthesis. For efficient execution of photosynthesis, it is important to have a temperature range between 25° to 35° C. As water is an important factor in photosynthesis, its deficiency can lead to problems in the intake of carbon dioxide. The scarcity of water leads to the refusal of stomatal opening to retain the amount of water they have stored inside. : Industrial pollutants and other particulates may settle on the leaf surface. This can block the pores of stomata which makes it difficult to take in carbon dioxide. |
Also Read: Photosynthesis Early Experiments
Photosynthesis Equation
Photosynthesis reaction involves two reactants, carbon dioxide and water. These two reactants yield two products, namely, oxygen and glucose. Hence, the photosynthesis reaction is considered to be an endothermic reaction. Following is the photosynthesis formula:
+ 6H O —> C H O + 6O |
Unlike plants, certain bacteria that perform photosynthesis do not produce oxygen as the by-product of photosynthesis. Such bacteria are called anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria. The bacteria that do produce oxygen as a by-product of photosynthesis are called oxygenic photosynthetic bacteria.
There are four different types of pigments present in leaves: |
Structure Of Chlorophyll
The structure of Chlorophyll consists of 4 nitrogen atoms that surround a magnesium atom. A hydrocarbon tail is also present. Pictured above is chlorophyll- f, which is more effective in near-infrared light than chlorophyll- a
Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in the chloroplasts of the plant cell and in the mesosomes of cyanobacteria. This green colour pigment plays a vital role in the process of photosynthesis by permitting plants to absorb energy from sunlight. Chlorophyll is a mixture of chlorophyll- a and chlorophyll- b .Besides green plants, other organisms that perform photosynthesis contain various other forms of chlorophyll such as chlorophyll- c1 , chlorophyll- c2 , chlorophyll- d and chlorophyll- f .
Also Read: Biological Pigments
Process Of Photosynthesis
At the cellular level, the photosynthesis process takes place in cell organelles called chloroplasts. These organelles contain a green-coloured pigment called chlorophyll, which is responsible for the characteristic green colouration of the leaves.
As already stated, photosynthesis occurs in the leaves and the specialized cell organelles responsible for this process is called the chloroplast. Structurally, a leaf comprises a petiole, epidermis and a lamina. The lamina is used for absorption of sunlight and carbon dioxide during photosynthesis.
Structure of Chloroplast. Note the presence of the thylakoid
“Photosynthesis Steps:”
- During the process of photosynthesis, carbon dioxide enters through the stomata, water is absorbed by the root hairs from the soil and is carried to the leaves through the xylem vessels. Chlorophyll absorbs the light energy from the sun to split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen.
- The hydrogen from water molecules and carbon dioxide absorbed from the air are used in the production of glucose. Furthermore, oxygen is liberated out into the atmosphere through the leaves as a waste product.
- Glucose is a source of food for plants that provide energy for growth and development , while the rest is stored in the roots, leaves and fruits, for their later use.
- Pigments are other fundamental cellular components of photosynthesis. They are the molecules that impart colour and they absorb light at some specific wavelength and reflect back the unabsorbed light. All green plants mainly contain chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoids which are present in the thylakoids of chloroplasts. It is primarily used to capture light energy. Chlorophyll-a is the main pigment.
The process of photosynthesis occurs in two stages:
- Light-dependent reaction or light reaction
- Light independent reaction or dark reaction
Stages of Photosynthesis in Plants depicting the two phases – Light reaction and Dark reaction
Light Reaction of Photosynthesis (or) Light-dependent Reaction
- Photosynthesis begins with the light reaction which is carried out only during the day in the presence of sunlight. In plants, the light-dependent reaction takes place in the thylakoid membranes of chloroplasts.
- The Grana, membrane-bound sacs like structures present inside the thylakoid functions by gathering light and is called photosystems.
- These photosystems have large complexes of pigment and proteins molecules present within the plant cells, which play the primary role during the process of light reactions of photosynthesis.
- There are two types of photosystems: photosystem I and photosystem II.
- Under the light-dependent reactions, the light energy is converted to ATP and NADPH, which are used in the second phase of photosynthesis.
- During the light reactions, ATP and NADPH are generated by two electron-transport chains, water is used and oxygen is produced.
The chemical equation in the light reaction of photosynthesis can be reduced to:
2H 2 O + 2NADP+ + 3ADP + 3Pi → O 2 + 2NADPH + 3ATP
Dark Reaction of Photosynthesis (or) Light-independent Reaction
- Dark reaction is also called carbon-fixing reaction.
- It is a light-independent process in which sugar molecules are formed from the water and carbon dioxide molecules.
- The dark reaction occurs in the stroma of the chloroplast where they utilize the NADPH and ATP products of the light reaction.
- Plants capture the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through stomata and proceed to the Calvin photosynthesis cycle.
- In the Calvin cycle , the ATP and NADPH formed during light reaction drive the reaction and convert 6 molecules of carbon dioxide into one sugar molecule or glucose.
The chemical equation for the dark reaction can be reduced to:
3CO 2 + 6 NADPH + 5H 2 O + 9ATP → G3P + 2H+ + 6 NADP+ + 9 ADP + 8 Pi
* G3P – glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate
Calvin photosynthesis Cycle (Dark Reaction)
Also Read: Cyclic And Non-Cyclic Photophosphorylation
Importance of Photosynthesis
- Photosynthesis is essential for the existence of all life on earth. It serves a crucial role in the food chain – the plants create their food using this process, thereby, forming the primary producers.
- Photosynthesis is also responsible for the production of oxygen – which is needed by most organisms for their survival.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. what is photosynthesis explain the process of photosynthesis., 2. what is the significance of photosynthesis, 3. list out the factors influencing photosynthesis., 4. what are the different stages of photosynthesis, 5. what is the calvin cycle, 6. write down the photosynthesis equation..
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Please What Is Meant By 300-400 PPM
PPM stands for Parts-Per-Million. It corresponds to saying that 300 PPM of carbon dioxide indicates that if one million gas molecules are counted, 300 out of them would be carbon dioxide. The remaining nine hundred ninety-nine thousand seven hundred are other gas molecules.
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What is photosynthesis?
April 28, 2020 By Emma Vanstone Leave a Comment
Green plants make sugar for growth by a process called photosynthesis . Photosynthesis is a process where light energy is converted to chemical energy in the form of sugars. It’s a process that provides the main source of oxygen in the atmosphere and is essential for almost all life on Earth.
Photosynthesis made simple
Plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create oxygen and energy in the form of glucose.
The glucose molecules created by photosynthesis act as fuel for cells and are used for cellular respiration and fermentation.
Photosynthesis Equation
Carbon dioxide + water (and light ) ———> glucose and oxygen
Where does photosynthesis happen?
Photosynthesis takes place in chloroplast cells, which contain a substance called chlorophyll. It is chlorophyll, which gives plants their green colour.
Chloroplasts are one of the organelles in a plant cell. We made a jelly model of plant cell to learn about organelles and plant cell structure.
Sunlight is also needed to make chlorophyll. If plants are kept in the dark, they can’t make chlorophyll and will have yellow leaves! You can see this in our multicoloured cress caterpillar .
What affects the rate of photosynthesis
Four factors affect the rate of photosynthesis . The faster it occurs, the more the plant grows.
Light – the more light there is, the faster photosynthesis occurs.
Water – lack of water slows photosynthesis down.
Temperature – photosynthesis works best at around 30 degrees Celsius.
Carbon dioxide levels – photosynthesis is faster if there is more carbon dioxide in the air.
Plants make the energy to grow through a process called respiration . This uses the sugar produced by photosynthesis and oxygen.
How are leaves adapted for photosynthesis?
Leaves are green as they contain lots of chlorophyll, which absorbs sunlight.
They are thin and have a large surface area. This means they can absorb a lot of sunlight, and gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide can pass in and out of the leaf easily.
Leaves have veins – xylem and phloem, which transport water, minerals and sugars around the plant.
Do only plants photosynthesise?
Plants, algae, and some types of bacteria use photosynthesis to create energy.
A large percentage of the Earth’s oxygen comes from phytoplankton in the oceans, which contain chlorophyll and use photosynthesis to create energy.
What is chlorophyll?
Chlorophyll is a green pigment which absorbs energy from blue and red light waves and reflects green light waves, which is why plants look green!
Chlorophyll in a plant is found in an organelle called a chloroplast. This is where photosynthesis occurs.
Why is photosynthesis important?
Photosynthesis also allows plants to make energy for growth and repair, and it has an important ecological impact.
Plants incorporate the carbon from carbon dioxide into organic molecules ( carbon fixation ). This creates a carbon source for animals who cannot create their own and also removes carbon dioxide from the air, slowing down the rate at which it builds up in the atmosphere.
Photosynthesis also creates oxygen, which is needed for most life on Earth!
Do you have more questions? You might find the answers in my collection of science questions for kids .
Last Updated on January 26, 2024 by Emma Vanstone
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Photosynthesis ( / ˌfoʊtəˈsɪnθəsɪs / FOH-tə-SINTH-ə-sis) [1] is a system of biological processes by which photosynthetic organisms, such as most plants, algae, and cyanobacteria, convert light energy, typically from sunlight, into the chemical energy necessary to fuel their activities.
In chemical terms, photosynthesis is a light-energized oxidation-reduction process. (Oxidation refers to the removal of electrons from a molecule; reduction refers to the gain of electrons by a molecule.) In plant photosynthesis, the energy of light is used to drive the oxidation of water (H 2 O), producing oxygen gas (O 2 ), hydrogen ions (H ...
Photosynthesis is the process in which light energy is converted to chemical energy in the form of sugars. In a process driven by light energy, glucose molecules (or other sugars) are constructed from water and carbon dioxide, and oxygen is released as a byproduct. The glucose molecules provide organisms with two crucial resources: energy and ...
The process. During photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide (CO 2) and water (H 2 O) from the air and soil. Within the plant cell, the water is oxidized, meaning it loses electrons, while the carbon dioxide is reduced, meaning it gains electrons. This transforms the water into oxygen and the carbon dioxide into glucose.
Photosynthesis Equation. 6 CO 2 + 6 H 2 O + Light -> C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6 O 2 + 6 H 2 O. Above is the overall reaction for photosynthesis. Using the energy from light and the hydrogens and electrons from water, the plant combines the carbons found in carbon dioxide into more complex molecules. While a 3-carbon molecule is the direct result of ...
Photosynthesis is powered by energy from sunlight. This energy is used to rearrange atoms in carbon dioxide and water to make oxygen and sugars. Carbon dioxide and water are inputs of photosynthesis. These inputs come from the environment. Oxygen and sugars are outputs of photosynthesis. The oxygen is released into the environment.
Meaning. Photosynthesis. The process by which plants, algae, and some bacteria convert light energy to chemical energy in the form of sugars. Photoautotroph. An organism that produces its own food using light energy (like plants) ATP. Adenosine triphosphate, the primary energy carrier in living things. Chloroplast.
The word 'photosynthesis' is derived from the Greek word phōs, meaning 'light' and synthesis meaning 'combining together.' ... Although all the above factors together interact to affect the rate of photosynthesis, each of them individually is also capable of directly influencing the process without the other factors and thus called ...
photosynthesis: the process by which plants and other photoautotrophs generate carbohydrates and oxygen from carbon dioxide, water, and light energy in chloroplasts. photoautotroph: an organism that can synthesize its own food by using light as a source of energy. chemoautotroph: a simple organism, such as a protozoan, that derives its energy ...
The chloroplast is involved in both stages of photosynthesis. The light reactions take place in the thylakoid. There, water (H 2 O) is oxidized, and oxygen (O 2) is released. The electrons that ...
Photosynthesis definition states that the process exclusively takes place in the chloroplasts through photosynthetic pigments such as chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotene and xanthophyll. ... Light Intensity: Increased light intensity results in a higher rate of photosynthesis. On the other hand, low light intensity results in a lower rate of ...
National 4; Photosynthesis - limiting factors Rate of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants use light energy to make their own food. Chlorophyll in the plant cells ...
Photosynthesis rate greater than respiration rate: Carbon dioxide taken in, oxygen given out: Purple: When the rate of photosynthesis is greater than the rate of respiration, then there is a gain ...
The rate of photosynthesis can be increased by adding more carbon dioxide. Find out more with BBC Bitesize. For students between the ages of 11 and 14.
What affects the rate of photosynthesis. Four factors affect the rate of photosynthesis. The faster it occurs, the more the plant grows. Light - the more light there is, the faster photosynthesis occurs. Water - lack of water slows photosynthesis down. Temperature - photosynthesis works best at around 30 degrees Celsius.
The rate of photosynthesis was higher in well-watered post oak and white oak than in sugar maple or black walnut seedlings (Ni and Pallardy, 1991). The rate of photosynthesis of mature leaves of oil palm is among the highest reported for trees (Ceulemans and Saugier, 1991). Photosynthetic rates of even closely related species may differ ...
Purple sulfur bacteria, in contrast, carry out anoxygenic photosynthesis, meaning that water is not used as an electron source and oxygen gas is not produced. ... I'm trying to understand how factors such as carbon dioxide levels affect the rate of photosynthesis when light intensity is already at its maximum, and the light reactions occur at ...
In photosynthesis, the energy from the sun is used to turn carbon dioxide (CO2) and water into sugar. Oxygen is a waste product. More light can mean more photosynthesis. It doesn't necessarily mean more though. When we think of photosynthesis as a process, we can see that there are at least three things that can limit the process: light ...
Plants need several factors for photosynthesis to occur:. The presence of photosynthetic pigments; A supply of carbon dioxide; A supply of water; Light energy; A suitable temperature; If there is a shortage of any of these factors, photosynthesis cannot occur at its maximum possible rate; The main external factors that affect the rate of photosynthesis are:
Photosynthetic rates directly above vent discharges are generally lower if compared to the surrounding areas, possibly due to the presence of high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide, metals, and higher temperatures (Tarasov et al., 1990, 1999 ). For example, Gomez-Saez et al. (2017), indicated that for 55°C sediments in Dominica, while ...
Plants, on the other hand, are experts at capturing light energy and using it to make sugars through a process called photosynthesis. This process begins with the absorption of light by specialized organic molecules, called pigments, that are found in the chloroplasts of plant cells.Here, we'll consider light as a form of energy, and we'll also see how pigments - such as the chlorophylls ...
The rate of photosynthesis is a gross measure of the rate at which a plant captures radiant energy and fixes it in organic carbon compounds. However, it is often more important to consider, and very much easier to measure, the net gain. Net photosynthesis is the increase (or decrease) in dry matter that results from the difference between gross ...
The rate of photosynthesis at point A is being limited by the concentration of carbon dioxide. The evidence for this is that as the concentration of carbon dioxide is increased, the rate of ...
The impact of coffee cascara and litter mulch on the net photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, CUE, and WUE of coffee leaves remains inconclusive. ... soil-available phosphorus; SAN: soil alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen. Data are presented as mean ± standard errors. Table 2. Two-way ANOVA on microclimate and physiochemical ...