Light independent stage

    Cards (12)

    • The light independent stage is called the calvin cycle
    • the light independent reaction happens in the Stroma, it is a series of reduction reactions
    • the calvin cycle continues until the NADPH, ATP or CO2 is used up.
    • the molecules involved:
      Ribulose bisphosphate (5C)
      carbon dioxide (1C)
      glycerate 3 phosphate (3C)
      triose phosphate (3C)
    • enzyme = RuBisCo
    • aim of the light independent stage is to reduce CO2 to glucose
    • the substances needed for the Light independent stage:
      • NADPH , ATP, CO2 , Ribulose Bisphosphate (RuBP), RuBisCo
      The substances produced:
      • NADP , ADP , Pi, glucose
    • Carbon dioxide (1C) is added to ribulose bisphosphate (5C) catalysed by the enzyme RuBisCo.
      A highly unstable 6C molecule is produced which immediately splits into two glycerate-3-phosphate (3C)
    • the two glycerate-3-phosphate molecules are reduced to produce two triose phosphate molecules.
      to allow this reduction reaction NADPH is oxidised and ATP is hydrolysed
    • the two triose phosphate molecules are used to make glucose and resynthesise Ribulose bisphosphate. the resynthesis of Ribulose bisphosphate requires the hydrolysis of ATP.
    • five out of six turns of the Calvin cycle resynthesise Ribulose bisphosphate.
      one out of six turns of the Calvin cycle form glucose
    • Glycerate-3-phosphate can be written as (GP)
      triose phosphate can be written as (TP)
      ribulose bisphosphate can be written as (RuBP)