Review Questions Unit 2

+Review Questions - Chapter 7 (Photosynthesis)

1. List the major stages of photosynthesis and state what occurs in those sets of reactions.
Where the Reactions Take Place
1. The two stages of photosynthesis take place in the
chloroplast.
2. Light-dependent reactions occur in the thylakoid
membrane system.
a. The thylakoids are folded into grana (stacks of disks)
and channels.
b. The interior spaces of the thylakoid disks and channels
are continuous and are filled with H+ needed during
ATP synthesis.
3. Carbohydrate formation occurs in the stroma (semifluid)
area that surrounds the grana.

2. Study the general equation for photosynthesis as shown in the main text until you can
remember the reactants and products. Reproduce the equation from memory below.
Sunlight
12H2O + 6CO2 —————> 6O2 + C6H12O6 + 6H2O

3. Describe the structural details of the green leaf. Begin with the layers of a leaf cross-
section and complete your description with the minute structural sites within the
chloroplast where the major sets of photosynthetic reactions occur. Explain how each of
the reactants needed in various phases of photosynthesis arrive at the place where they are
used. Explain what happens to the products of photosynthesis.

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The leaf from top to bottom1) vein (2) cuticle (wax); (3) upper epidermis (allows
light to enter leaf and keeps leaf from desiccating); (4) Palisade layer of mesophyll
(photosynthetic tissue); (5) spongy mesophyll (photosynthetic tissue): (6) lower
epidermis (keeps leaf from desiccating) (7) chloroplasts (8) air space (9) guard cells
(open and close stomata): (10) stomata (allows from gases exchange while
maintaining proper humidity in leaf).

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 The chloroplast (7):
The outer membrane is a tight lipid bilayer. Beneath this membrane is a second
bilayer and interior to that is a highly folded third lipid bilayer called the thylakoid
membrane. The stroma (gel/sol) surrounds this inter most membrane. The light
reactions (1 and 2) occur on the thylakoid membrane and as a result, H ions are
produced and used to generate ATP via ATP synthase. NADH is also generated
along with O2 (g).

In the stroma, the dark reactions occur. They fix carbon from CO2 by using the ATP
and high energy hydrogen provided by the light reactions. Water is the source for
both oxygen and hydrogen.

The water is provided by the leaf veins (roots--. Soil); the CO2 comes from the
atmosphere via the stomata and the sun provides the photons to drive the reactions.

4. Describe how the pigments found on thylakoid membranes are organized into
photosystems and how they relate to photon light energy.
Where Are Photosynthetic Pigments Located?
1. Photosynthetic pigments are found in bacteria where
they are located on the plasma membrane.
2. In the thylakoid membrane systems of chloroplasts the
pigments are organized in clusters called photosystems
consisting of 200 to 300 pigment molecules.
3. These pigment clusters operate in such a manner that an
electron is energized by an incoming photon and the electron dances
from on molecule to another losing a little energy along the way. When it
has just the correct quantity of energy (corresponding to 680 or 700 nm,
the electron is ejected from the cluster and is captured by an electron
accepter molecule. The electron is then on its way along the membrane
where ultimately its energy binds a hydrogen to NAD+ to from NADH
or ATP.

5. Describe the role that chlorophylls and the other chloroplast pigments play in the light-
dependent reactions. After consulting Figure 6.6 of the main text, state which colors of the
visible spectrum are absorbed by (a) chlorophyll a , (b) chlorophyll b , and (c)

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 carotenoids.
1. Chlorophylls are the main pigments in all but one group of
photoautotrophs. All of these pigments absorb solar
energy, but at different wave lengths.
a. Chlorophyll a (green) is the main pigment inside
chloroplasts. (Absorbs at 680 nm and 440 nm approx.
Red and blue)
b. Chlorophyll b (bluish-green) occurs in plants, green
algae, and photoautotrophic bacteria. (absorbs at 490
and 640 nm, approx. Red and blue)
2. Carotenoid pigments absorb blue-violet wavelengths
but reflect yellow, orange, and red.
3. Anthocyanins are pigments in many flowers.
4. Phycobilins are the red and blue pigments of the red
algae and cyanobacteria.

6. State what T. Englemann's 1882 experiment with Spirogyra revealed.

Englemann’s experiment revealed that photosynthesis was active at only
certain wave lengths, blue and red. This was determined by the oxygen
out-put revealed by the clustering of aerobic bacteria at these light
colors.

7. Two energy-carrying molecules produced in the noncyclic pathways are ___ATP

_______ and ___NADH_______; explain why these molecules are necessary for the
light-independent reactions.
These molecules supply the energy required to convert CO2 to
C6H12O6 via C-H bonds which are very energy rich (also, O-H and C-
C bonds.) This occurs in the Calvin-Benson cycle.

8. After evolution of the noncyclic pathway, ___oxygen_______ accumulated in the

atmosphere and made ___aerobic_______ respiration possible.
9. Explain how the chemiosmotic model is related to thylakoid compartments and the
production of ATP. From the diagram you can see that H+
accumulates inside the thylakoid. The system has a quantity of
energy that is related to the concentration gradient across the
thylakoid membrane. ATP synthase uses this energy to bond
inorganic phosphate to ADP forming ATP.

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10. Explain why the light-independent reactions are called by that name.

These reactions do not employ solar energy directly as their driving

force. They can proceed with light as long as they are supplied with
ATP and NADH.

11. Describe the Calvin-Benson cycle as it is related to the four phases shown right
before the Self-Quiz of this chapter.
The CBC feeds of the products of the light reaction, namely, ATP
and NADH. These are energy carriers. The energy was supplied by
the capture of solar energy by the photo systems. CO2 comes from
the air and water is provided by the environment and also
produced in the CBC. While the CBC doesn’t produce oxygen (it is
produced in the light reaction), the CBC, provides energy rich
phosphorylated glucose the plant.

12. Describe the mechanism by which C4 plants thrive under hot, dry conditions;
distinguish this CO2 - capturing mechanism from that of C3 plants.
Plants in hot, dry environments close their stomata
to conserve water but in so doing retard carbon
dioxide entry and permit oxygen buildup inside the
leaves.
Thus, oxygen—not carbon dioxide—becomes
attached to RuBP to yield one PGA (instead of two)
and one phosphoglycolate (not useful); this

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 nonproductive process is called photorespiration.
To overcome this fate, crabgrass, sugarcane, corn,
and other plants fix carbon twice (in mesophyll
cells then in bundle-sheath cells) to produce
oxaloacetate (a four-carbon, hence C4) compound,
which can then donate the carbon dioxide to the
Calvin-Benson cycle.

13. Cacti are CAM plants adapted to survive desert conditions by using a mechanism
unlike that of C4 plants. Describe the mechanism.

CAM Plants
Succulents, such as cacti, open their stomata and fix
CO2 only at night, storing the intermediate product
for use in photosynthesis the next day.
These plants are known as CAM plants because,
unlike C4 species, they do not fix carbon in
separate cells but at different times in the same cell.

14. State some of the observations that support the hypothesis that life on Earth
originated near hydrothermal vents.

Not important

15. Which creatures constitute the "pastures of the seas"? What benefits do they
provide for us? How might industrial wastes, fertilizers and herbicides affect these
photoautotrophs? Diatoms. Kill them or reduce their productivity.