PHOTOSYNTHESIS

WHY DO PLANTS CHANGE COLOUR IN AUTUMN?

They change colour from what to what

What causes the changes

Pictures

The whole process the chemistry involved even

Simple experiment if possible

why are these other pigmatation absorbing light why the green one

BGI

A leaf has underlying pigments that are masked by the chlorophyll all year round which is
why we never see them untill autumn. These pigments are called xanthophylls and
carotenoids.

When we transition from summer to autumn, we are moving from a hot season to
cooler one. The reason is cool its because we are moving further away from the sun
and that automatically means less sunlight. Less sunlight triggers the chlorophyll to
disintegrate and reveal the orange and yellow colours.

Picture above shows the leaf in autumn.

INTRODUCTION TO PHOTOSYNTHESIS
Defination

Equation

Examples of organisms that use the process

Stages of the process

Summary of the process

Factors affecting the process of photosynthesis

An image showing a leaf structure showing where the process takes place

The atp involvement in the process

The calvin cycle

PHOTOSYNTHESIS is a biological process by which plants transform light energy

to chemical energy.

LIGHT

CARBON DIOXIDE+ WATER GLUCOSE+ OXYGEN

Chlorophyll

6CO2 + 6H2O ---------------->> C2H12O6 + 6O2

STAGES OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS

1) Light dependent stage

2) light independent stage (calvin cycle)
LIGHT DEPENDANT STAGE

This stage required light and water to make high energy chemicals used to make
high energy chemicals to power now the calvin cycle or the light independent stage.
Light doesn’t get involved in the chemical reactions but it facilitates energy
needed for them to take place.

Light Dependent Reactions

2H20------------->>4H+ + O2+4e- PHOTOLYSIS OF WATER

NADP+ + H+ + 2e- --------->> NADPH EDUCTION OF NADP TO NADPH

GENERATION OF ATP FROM ADP -PHOTOPHOSPHORYLATION

This reaction produces NADPH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate

hydrogen) and is referred to as a reduction reaction since NADP+ gains electrons.

STEP 1: light is absorbed by chlorophyll

STEP 2: the energy is used to split the water molecules to oxygen, hydrogen ions
and electrons.

*OXYGEN LEAVES VIA STOMATA

STEP 3: the electrons then move via the electron transport chain. their . their
movement causes them to lose energy. due to this, hydrgen ions are pulled in to the
thylakoid membrane.

STEP 4: electrons are ejected from the PS1. Repelcemtn come from the electron
transport chain

STEP 5: they then move through a second electron transfer chain to combine with
NADP with H+ to form NADPH

STEP 6: the movement of the electrons produces energy which is then used to
pump protons across the thylakoid membrane.
THE DARK STAGE

FACTORS AFFECTING THE RATE OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS

 Light intensity
 Amount of carbon dioxide
 Temperature
HOW DO PHOTOSYNTHETIC ORGANISMS ABSORB LIGHT

 Plants use chlorophyll as a primary pigment to absorb light