Photosyntesis

• Photosynthesis - process where plants capture energy from sunlight and use it, along with water and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, to produce carbohydrates (or sugars)
• Oxygen - released as a byproduct of photosynthesis
• Photosynthetic reactions - Solar energy + 6CO2 + 6H2O -> C6H12O6 + 6O2
• Photosynthetic plant cell - Contains chloroplasts where photosynthesis reactions occur
• Two Primary Steps of Photosynthesis

  1. Light reactions

  2. Calvin cycle reactions
• Light reactions - occur within the thylakoid of the chloroplast, where special pigments absorb light energy and transfer it to high energy electrons, ultimately producing ATP and NADPH. Water is also split, releasing oxygen gas.
• Calvin cycle reactions - Occur within the stroma of the chloroplast, using the ATP and NADPH produced by the light reactions to turn carbon dioxide into carbohydrates. NADP+ and ADP are recycled for the next set of light reactions.
• During photosynthesis, plants capture energy from sunlight and use it, along with water and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, to produce carbohydrates (or "sugars")