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Study Material: Free Master Class Series
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Study Material: Free Master Class Series
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Photosynthesis (the name first proposed by Barnes in 1898) involves in the building of simple
carbohydrates such as sugars in the green leaf by the chloroplasts in the presence of sunlight
(as a source of energy) from carbon dioxide and water from the air and soil, respectively.
During photosynthesis, carbon dioxide is reduced into carbohydrates with the formation of
water and liberation of oxygen. The formation of carbohydrates is carried out by green plants
only, chlorophyll being indispensable for the process. The overall reaction of photosynthesis
is as follows:
6CO2 12H2O
Sunlight
Chlorophyll
C6H12O6 6H2O 6O2
The volume of oxygen liberated in the process has been found to be equal to the volume of
carbon dioxide absorbed. But it is to be noted that the source of oxygen liberated is water and
not carbon dioxide.
Structure of a Chloroplast
Chlorophyll, the green coloured pigment is essential for the process of photosynthesis.
Chlorophyll remains present in disc-like structures called chloroplasts.
Chloroplasts are found in the mesophyll cells located between the upper epidermis and lower
epidermis of leaves, and in the guard cells of stomata. They are also found in the outer layers
of young green stems of plants.
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Study Materials
NCERT Solutions for Class 6 to 12 (Math & Science)
Revision Notes for Class 6 to 12 (Math & Science)
RD Sharma Solutions for Class 6 to 12 Mathematics
RS Aggarwal Solutions for Class 6, 7 & 10 Mathematics
Important Questions for Class 6 to 12 (Math & Science)
CBSE Sample Papers for Class 9, 10 & 12 (Math &
Science)
Important Formula for Class 6 to 12 Math
CBSE Syllabus for Class 6 to 12
Lakhmir Singh Solutions for Class 9 & 10
Previous Year Question Paper
CBSE Class 12 Previous Year Question Paper
CBSE Class 10 Previous Year Question Paper
JEE Main & Advanced Question Paper
NEET Previous Year Question Paper
Photosynthesis does not occur when light is not present (at night). This causes the guard cells
to collapse, therefore reducing the size of the stoma. That is why stomata are closed at night.
Mechanism of Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is the biological process by which energy-rich carbon-containing compounds
are produced from carbon dioxide and water by the chlorophyll containing green cells,
liberating oxygen as a by-product.
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It is essentially an oxidation-reduction reaction by which hydrogen of water reduces carbon
dioxide into glucose. Since glucose or fructose appears to be the first carbohydrate formed in
photosynthesis, the overall reaction may be represented as
6CO2 12H2O Sunlight
Chlorophyll
C6H12O6 6H2O 6O2
The process of photosynthesis consists of two types of reactions – one for which light is
essential and the other which can proceed in the dark.
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(b) Formation of simple sugar: In the presence of ATP and NADPH, the phosphoglyceric
acid is converted into phosphoglyceraldehyde (PGAL), which is further converted into
glucose.
(c) Regeneration of RuBP: Some molecules of phosphoglyceric acid undergo a series of
reactions to produce ribulose 1, 5 biphosphate (RuBP).
The overall process may be represented as
6 RuBP 6CO2 18 ATP 12 NADPH 12 H 6 RuBP 18 ADP
C6 H12O6 18Pi 12 NADP 6 H 2O
(d) Future of glucose synthesised by the green leaves: Glucose being soluble in water
cannot be stored in the cells of the leaf, therefore it is temporarily converted into insoluble
form, i.e. starch during the daytime.
At the night, when the process of photosynthesis stops, the stored starch is converted
back into glucose, by an enzyme called hydrolase. The glucose then gets translocated
to other parts of the plant by phloem for storage or to get energy.
Again glucose is converted into starch, sugars or oils which we get from the plants as
food.
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Internal structure of a leaf: The thickness of cuticle layers, the size of the leaf and the number
of stomata, their position and behaviour affect the penetration of light and diffusion of carbon
dioxide in the leaf.
Significance of Photosynthesis
Synthesis of organic food: Green plants are actually the factories in which the complex
organic compounds are synthesised from simple inorganic materials.
Energy: Energy is required by all the living beings for performing various life activities. They
get energy from food and carbohydrates which are formed by green plants by the process of
photosynthesis.
Provide oxygen: The plants provide oxygen which is essential to support life. It is evolved as
waste during photosynthesis.
Consumption of carbon dioxide: The process of photosynthesis decreases the concentration
of carbon dioxide which is being added to the atmosphere due to respiration by organisms and
burning of fossil fuels.
Carbon Cycle
Carbon dioxide is taken in from the air by the green plants and returned to the atmosphere
through living organisms by the process of respiration. This occurs in the form of a cycle which
repeats itself, therefore, it is a continuous cycle necessary for life.
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