Photosynthesis:

Life from Light and Air

 All life needs a constant input of energy
 Animals = Heterotrophs
 get their energy from “eating others”
 eat food = other organisms = organic molecules
 make energy through respiration
 Plants = Autotrophs
 get their energy from “self”
 get their energy from sunlight
 build organic molecules (food) from CO2
 make energy through photosynthesis
Photosynthesis: the process that uses the sun’s
energy to make simple sugars, such as glucose.
6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2
Carbon Dioxide + Water → Glucose + Oxygen
 Chloroplast Structure
• Inner membrane of
the thylakoid is
called the thylakoid
membrane.

• Thickened regions
called thylakoids. A
stack of thylakoids is
called a granum.
(Plural – grana)

• Stroma is a liquid
surrounding the
thylakoids.
Photosynthesis
sun
 Actually 2 separate reactions
 Energy building
 use sunlight Energy
 make energy (ATP) building
 Sugar building reactions
 use ATP ADP ATP
 use CO2 Sugar
 make sugars (C6H12O6) building
reactions
sugar
CO2
Photosynthesis: The Chemical Process
 Occurs in two main phases.
1. ‘Light’ Dependent Reactions.
2. Light Independent Reactions (aka – the
Calvin Cycle, Dark reactions).

 Light reactions are the “photo” part of

photosynthesis. Light is absorbed by
pigments. Occurs in grana (thylakoids).
 Dark reactions are the “synthesis” part of
photosynthesis. Glucose is produced during
this stage. Occurs in stroma.
Light-Dependent Reactions
H2O + light  ATP + O
2
energy
H2O
 The light reactions
sunlight
convert solar
energy to chemical
Energy Building energy. It makes
Reactions ATP energy and
ATP
NADPH
 releases oxygen
as a waste product
O2
Light-Independent Reactions
CO2 + ATP  C6H12O6 + ADP

CO2  builds sugars

 uses ATP
ADP + P  cycles ADP back to
NADP
Sugar make more ATP
Building
Reactions
ATP

sugars
C6H12O6
Putting it all together
CO2 + H2O + light  C6H12O6 + O2
energy
H2O CO2 Plants make Both:
sunlight  ATP
ADP + P
 Sugars
NADP
Energy Sugar
Building Building
Reactions Reactions
ATP

sugars
O2
C6H12O6
 The Reactions of Photosynthesis
THE LIGHT DEPENDENT THE LIGHT INDEPENDENT
REACTIONS REACTIONS
Occurs in the grana (thylakoid) Occurs in the stroma
AKA: light reactions AKA: dark reactions, calvin cycle
Uses light and water Uses carbon dioxide, ATP,
NADPH
Produces oxygen, ATP, NADPH Produces glucose
Provides atmospheric oxygen Sugar produced is used for
cellular respiration
Dependent upon light Not dependent upon light
ATP and NADPH produced here ATP and NADPH from light
energize the dark reactions reactions energize these dark
reactions
Occur in the chloroplast Occur in the chloroplast