Photosynthesis: Light Reaction

What is photosynthesis?

Definition: Process that plants go through to produce/synthesize food from carbon and water.

Equation: 6CO2 + 6H2O + Energy = C6H12O6 + 6O2
*Carbon Dioxide + Water + Light = Glucose + Oxygen*

Photosynthesis is divided into two stages; Light reaction and Calvin Cycle.

Light Reaction: A step in photosynthesis, occur in the thylokoid membranes of the chloroplast, that convert solar energy into chemical energy such as ATP and NADPH

1.      Chloroplast splits water into Oxygen and Hydrogen.

2.      Oxygen leaves the plant through the stomata. Stomata are openings in a plant.

3.      Light hits the chlorophyll located in photosystem II and excites an electron. The electron elevates to an orbital that has higher potential energy. PS II is composed of light harvesting complexes.

4.      Electrons transfer energy down other chlorophyll until it reaches a special chlorophyll a located in reaction center (named P680).

5.      Energy will be transferred into primary electron acceptor.

6.      Electron travels down the Electron Transport System to photosystem I.

7.      Before reaching the photosystem I, electron passes through electron carriers name Plastoquinone (Pq), Cytochrome complexes, and a protein called Plastocyanin (Pc).

8.      Electron looses energy as it travels. The movement of the electron powers the hydrogen pump to pump out Hydrogen.

9.      Light will hit Photosystem I and the energy will transfer to a reaction center called P700.

10.  Electron will travel to the primary acceptor in PS I.

11.  Electron travels down the chain and passes through electron carriers name Ferredoxin (Fd).11.  The energy will travel down the

 second electron transport chain.

12.  An enzyme called NADP+ reductase transfers electrons from Fd to NADP+. Two electrons are needed for NADP+
13.  As electrons are continually going through the cycle, the concentration gradient of Hydrogen is unbalanced. to reduce to NADPH. Too much hydrogen was pumped out. To reach equilibrium, ATP Synthase pump comes in play
.

14.  Movement of Hydrogen entering the membrane generates power to produce energy. It turns ADP into ATP.

15.  Through Light reaction, the plant produces chemical energy such as NADPH and ATP. These energies go to the next step of the Photosynthesis, Calvin Cycle.

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Photosynthesis

Citation

Campbell, Neil A., and Jane B. Reece. Biology. 7. Berkeley: Pearson, 2004. Print.