Photosynthesis
The conversion of light energy into chemical energy in plants
Light Dependent Reactions (LDR)
Uses light energy to produce ATP and to split water molecules into H+ ions
Light Independent Reactions (LIR)
Calvin Cycle, uses ATP and H+ ions to 'fix' carbon dioxide. makes glucose
Condensation Reaction
The process where monosaccharides are combined to make carbohydrates
Pigment
Absorbs useful wavelengths of light that contain energy appropriate for photolysis in light dependent reactions
Chlorophyll
A chemical pigment that changes the color of reflected light stored in chloroplasts
Action Spectrum
Indicates which wavelengths of light can be used by a plant for photosynthesis
Absorption Spectrum
The spectrum used to measure absorption where various wavelengths of light represent different colors of light
Photolysis
The splitting or decomposition of a chemical compound by means of light energy or photons
Biomass
The total mass of all living material in a specific area, habitat, or region
Chloroplast
Plastid organelle containing chlorophyll and other pigments
Stroma
A thick fluid between grana where various enzymes, molecules, and ions are found, and where the light independent reaction of photosynthesis occurs
Thylakoid
A disk-like structure in the chloroplast that contains chlorophyll and is where the light dependent reaction occurs
Grana
A stack of thylakoids within the chloroplast of plant cells
Non-cyclic Photophosphorylation
light dependent, an electron donor is required, oxygen is produced as a waste product. It consists of two photoreactions, resulting in the synthesis of ATP and NADPH
Cyclic Photophosphorylation
an electron is excited by light and is used to transform ADP into ATP. The same electron can be used to repeat the process
Photosystem I
makes use of light to transfer electrons and whose reaction center chlorophyll is P700
Photosystem II
absorbs light for use to drive the oxidation of water and the reduction of plastoquinone, and whose reaction center chlorophyll is P680
Photoactivation
The initial stage of photosynthesis in chlorophyll molecules where the presence of light energy raises the total energy
Chemiosmosis
The movement of ions from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration through transport proteins to create a concentration gradient
Ribulose Biphosphate
(RuBP) A 5 carbon sugar found in the Calvin Cycle
Glycerate-3-phosphate
(G3P) A phosphorylated three-carbon sugar that is an intermediate in the Calvin Cycle
Triose Phosphate
(TP) A compound derived from G3P in the light independent reaction and will be used to create glucose
Adenosine Triphosphate
(ATP) An organic compound composed of adenosine and 3 phosphates and is the energy molecule for the cell
Limiting Factor
A factor present in an environment that controls a process
NADP+
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate - reduced to NADPH in the light dependent reaction of photosynthesis
NADPH
Formed from NADP+ and is a reducing agent in the reactions of the Calvin cycle.
Rubisco
An enzyme used in the Calvin Cycle (LIR) to fix carbon dioxide by adding it to RuBP