GENERAL BIOLOGY 1

LIGHT-DEPENDENT REACTION

STRUCTURES WITHIN THE CHLOROPLAST

STAGES OF PHOTOSYTHESIS
PHOTOSYNTHESIS OCCURS IN TWO STAGES

FIRST STAGE:

LIGHT-DEPENDENT REACTIONS OR LIGHT REACTIONS

 Captures the energy of light and use it to make the energy-storage molecules ATP and
NADPH.

SECOND STAGE:

LIGHT-INDEPENDENT REACTIONS OR DARK REACTIONS

 Uses the product of light-dependent reaction to capture and reduce carbon dioxide.

LIGHT-DEPENDENT REACTIONS

 Occurs in the thylakoid membrane.

 Light energy is converted to chemical energy-ATP and NADPH.
 Involves two photosystems and an electron transport chain.

CHEMICAL EQUATION

12 H2O + 12 NADP+ + 18 ADP + 18 Pi + light and chlorophyll → 6 O2 + 12 NADPH +

18 ATP

STRUCTURE OF THYLAKOID MEMBRANE

STEP 1: Light excites chlorophyll electrons (in photosystems) and they become
energized.

PHOTOSYSTEMS

 Pigment containing protein complex that contain reaction centers

 Types PS I and PS II

1ST STAGE

LIGHT-DEPENDENT REACTION (LIGHT REACTION)

CAPTURING THE SUN’S ENERGY

DEFINITION OF TERMS
ATP

 Adenosine triphosphate
 Is a complex organic chemical that provides energy to drive many processes in living
cells.
 “Energy currency” of the cell
 If consumed, it converts either to ADP or AMP
 ADP – Adenosine diphosphate
 AMP – Adenosine monophosphate

PHOSPHORYLATE

 To add a phosphate group

NADP+

 Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate

NADPH

 Reducing agent produced from light reaction of photosynthesis

OXIDATION

 Loss of electrons: the process of losing electrons from a chemical element or

compound.

OXIDIZE (past participles – oxidized)

 Lose or make lose electrons

ELECTRON (e-)

 Negatively charge particle of an atom.

 Can be ejected from an atom.
1. When light energy strikes the photosystem II, the electrons become excited and
ejected from the photosystem II. Light energy ejects the electrons from photosystem
II.
2. The photosystem pulls replacement electrons from water molecules, which then break
apart into oxygen and hydrogen ions. The oxygen leaves the cell as O2.
3. The electron enter the electron transport chain in the thylakoid membrane.
4. Energy lost by the electron as they move through the chain is use to actively transport
hydrogen ions from the stroma in to the thylakoid lumen. A hydrogen ion gradient
forms across the thylakoid membrane.
5. Light energy ejects from the photosystem I. replacement electrons come from electron
transport chain.
6. The ejected electrons move through the second electron transport chain, then combine
with NADP+ and H+, so NADPH forms.
7. H+ leaves the thylakoid lumen only by flowing through proteins called ATP synthase.
8. When hydrogen ions flow through its interior, the protein phosphorylates ADP and Pi
so ATP form in the stroma.