Photosynthesis

Honors Biology
Mrs. Mawhiney
 Objectives
• Explain the
importance of
photosynthesis.

• Write and interpret

the chemical equation
for photosynthesis.
Check Your Understanding
How are plant cells different from animal cells?
In what organelle does photosynthesis take place?
All Energy on Earth comes from the
Sun!!
Light Energy Harvested by Plants &
Other Photosynthetic Autotrophs

6 CO2 + 6 H2O + light energy → C6H12O6 + 6 O2

 THE BASICS OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS
• Almost all plants are photosynthetic autotrophs, as
are some bacteria and protists
– Autotrophs generate their own organic matter through
photosynthesis
– Sunlight energy is transformed to energy stored in the
form of chemical bonds

(c) Euglena (d) Cyanobacteria

(b) Kelp
(a) Mosses, ferns, and
flowering plants
Food Chain
 Overview
• Carbon dioxide and water are taken in by plants
• Plants absorb light energy and convert it to a
usable form.
– ATP
• Energy is used to “fix” carbon dioxide into sugar
molecules
– Chemical energy
• Sugar is converted to starch and stored for use
by the plant, and by animals when they eat
plants.
WHY ARE PLANTS GREEN?

It's not that easy bein' green

Having to spend each day the color of the leaves
When I think it could be nicer being red or yellow or gold
Or something much more colorful like that…

Kermit the Frog

Electromagnetic Spectrum and
Visible Light
Gamma Infrared &
rays X-rays UV Microwaves Radio waves

Visible light

Wavelength (nm)
 WHY ARE PLANTS GREEN?
Different wavelengths of visible light are seen by
the human eye as different colors.

Gamma Micro- Radio

X-rays UV Infrared
rays waves waves

Visible light

Wavelength (nm)
The feathers of male cardinals
are loaded with carotenoid
pigments. These pigments
absorb some wavelengths of
light and reflect others.

t
e d li g h
e fl ect
R

Sunlight minus absorbed

wavelengths or colors
equals the apparent color
of an object.
Why are plants green?
h t
lig
c ted Transmitted light
efl e
R
WHY ARE PLANTS GREEN?
Plant Cells
have Green
Chloroplasts

The thylakoid
membrane of the
chloroplast is
impregnated with
photosynthetic
pigments (i.e.,
chlorophylls,
carotenoids).
 THE COLOR OF LIGHT SEEN IS THE
COLOR NOT ABSORBED

• Chloroplasts
absorb light Reflected

energy and Light light

convert ito
chemical energy

Absorbed
light

Transmitted Chloroplast
light
 Chloroplasts

• Have TWO membranes

– A “bi-bilayer!”
• The inner membrane is
called the thylakoid.
• The thylakoid is folded
and looks like stacks of
coins called granum
(grana singular).
• The stroma is the space
surrounding the granum

Image source: http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/C/chloroplasts.html

 Chloroplasts: Sites of Photosynthesis
• Photosynthesis
– Occurs in chloroplasts, organelles in certain
plants
– All green plant parts have chloroplasts and carry
out photosynthesis
• The leaves have the most chloroplasts
• The green color comes from chlorophyll in the
chloroplasts
• The pigments absorb light energy
 Photosynthesis occurs in chloroplasts
• In most plants, photosynthesis occurs
primarily in the leaves, in the chloroplasts
• A chloroplast contains:
– stroma, a fluid
– grana, stacks of thylakoids
• The thylakoids contain chlorophyll
– Chlorophyll is the green pigment that captures
light for photosynthesis
• The location and structure of chloroplasts
Chloroplast
LEAF CROSS SECTION MESOPHYLL CELL
LEAF

Mesophyll

CHLOROPLAST Intermembrane space

Outer
membrane

Granum Inner
membrane
Grana Stroma Thylakoid
Stroma Thylakoid compartment
 Chloroplast Pigments
• Chloroplasts contain several pigments

– Chlorophyll a
– Chlorophyll b
– Carotenoids

Figure 7.7
Plants produce O2 gas by splitting H2O

• The O2 liberated by photosynthesis is made

from the oxygen in water (H+ and e-)
AN OVERVIEW OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS

• Photosynthesis is the process by which

autotrophic organisms use light energy to
make sugar and oxygen gas from carbon
dioxide and water

Carbon Water Glucose Oxygen

dioxide gas
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
• A Photosynthesis Road Map

Chloroplast

Light
Stroma

Stack of NADP
thylakoids ADP
+P
Light Calvin
reactions cycle

Sugar used for

 Cellular respiration
 Cellulose
 Starch
 Other organic compounds
 Review: Photosynthesis uses light
energy to make food molecules

• A summary of
Chloroplast
the chemicalLight

processes of
photosynthesis Photosystem II
Electron
transport CALVIN
chains CYCLE Stroma
Photosystem I

Elec
tron
s
Cellular
respiration
Cellulose
Starch
Other
LIGHT REACTIONS CALVIN CYCLE organic
compounds