Key facts about Chloroplasts:

Photosynthesis takes place entirely in the chloroplasts.

Double membrane.
Chloroplasts have a 3rd membrane: Thylakoid Membrane.
Thylakoid vesicles are often layered into stacks: Grana.
Chloroplasts also contain DNA, tRNA, and ribosomes, and they often store
products of photosynthesis such as starch and lipids.

Bam, Photosystems!
Chlorophyll is not a protein; it is similar to haem, but it has an Mg ion instead of
an Fe atom.
It is arranged with proteins and other pigments to form photosystems.
Each photosystem contains 200 chlorophyll molecules and 50 accessory
pigments.

PS2 is here! (Photosystem 2)

+ 4 e
2 H 2 O O2 +4 H
Protons (H ions) build up in the thylakoid lumen. Oxygen is released into the air.
Electrons are replaced by water-splitting donating electron (not cyclic).
READ ABOUT STUFF IN THE TEXTBOOK OR IT WILL BE A REPEAT OF LAST YEAR
YOU TOTAL SCRUB
Electrons are passed along an electron transport chain, involving cytochromes.
Protons pumped to the inside. 2ADP+Pi converted to 2ATP. Finally, an electron is
passed to PS1.

Have Photosystem 1 too!

The electron is taken into the ferredoxin complex. The electron combines with an
H+ ion to form an H atom. This combines with coenzyme NADP to form NADPH
(reduction).
The proton gradient drives the enzyme ATP synthase.

ADP + Pi ATP .

This is known as photophosphorylation.

Calvin Cycle
1) Carbon dioxide combines with RuBP. This reaction is catalysed by RuBP
carboxylase (rubisco). RuBP has 5 C atoms, so the product has 6 C atoms,
but it immediately splits into 2 molecules of Glycerate-3-phosphate (GP, or
G3P). The CO2 is now said to be fixed. GP is not a carbohydrate.

2) GP is converted into a carbohydrate using the energy from ATP and the
electrons from the NADPH. This is a reduction reaction: The GP is
converted to triose phosphate (3 C atoms).
3) Various things can happen to the TP. 5/6 of it is used to regenerate RuBP.
This is essential to allow the cycle to continue. If RuBP runs out, the
reaction stops.
4) This triose phosphate leaves the cycle, and two of these triose phoephsate
molecules combine to form one glucose molecule using the glycolysis
enzymes in reverse.

2 3 C=1 6 C

molecule.

Limiting Factors of Photosynthesis

Light intensity, CO2 concentration, Temperature.
CO2 (atmospheric) is usually at 0.04%. This is generally lower than optimum for
plants, and it is why CO2 is the main limiting factor.

C3 and C4 Plants