Photosynthesis Lesson

Living things need energy. It takes plenty of energy to play soccer or even sleep. Without the ability to get and use energy, cells would die. Living things use chemical energy known ATP to maintain homeostasis. Photosynthesis is the process that converts and creates energy.

• When one organism eats another, molecules are metabolized and energy is transferred.

• Therefore, energy flows through an ecosystem.

• All the food on this earth is made by utilizing solar energy.

• Therefore, the sun is the ultimate source of enegy for all living organisms.

An autotroph is an organism that can produce its own food using light, water, carbon dioxide, or other chemicals. Because autotrophs produce their own food, they are sometimes called producers.

Heterotrophs will get energy from other organisms by consuming them. Also called consumers.

• Decomposers are heterotrophs because they break down and feed on the remains of dead organisms . Then, they release simple inorganic molecules back to the environment.​

• The process by which autotrophs use the energy of sunlight to produce high energy carbohydrates

• 2 stages: light reactions and Calvin Cycle

• Photosynthesis will occur in the Chloroplast.

• Chloroplast: organelle in plants

• Thylakoids: flattened sacs inside the chloroplast

• Grana: flattened sacs inside chloroplast

• Stroma: Solution surrounding grana

• This is the 1st stage of photosynthesis.

• It will require light and water.

• Will take place in the thylakoids of the chloroplasts.
  

• Light and water come into thylakoid

• Water is split and oxygen is released.

• H+ moves through photosystem II and I building up charges

• + (Protons) goes through ATP synthase and yields 2 ATP and 2 NADPH. (They go to the stroma) 

• Pigments are substances that absorb specific wavelengths of light (colors) and reflect others.

• Chlorophyll is the main pigment in photosynthesis.

• Carotenoids are accessory pigments that absorb light

• Both are found in the thylakoids of the chloroplast.

• Light independent "dark reactions"

• Takes place in the stroma

• ATP and NADPH will be the energy to have CO2 combine with RuBisCO which then becomes glucose