Light reactions and the calvin cycle

tracing the atoms through the process of photosynthesis - simple

1. Light Reactions and the Calvin Cycle Tracing atoms through the process of photosynthesis

2. The Law of the Conservation of Matter Matter cannot be created or destroyed Matter (atoms) can only be rearranged into new molecules

3. The Light Reactions H 2 O enters O 2 exits ATP and NADPH energy carriers are made

4. Let’s follow the atoms on their journey through photosynthesis Starting with…H 2 O

5. What happens to the H 2 O ? Oxygen in H 2 O splits off and released from leaf O 2

6. Think-pear-share What is the significance of this step?

7. What happens to the hydrogens? Electrons from hydrogen given to chlorophyll Draw this Hydrogen

8. Think-pear-share What is chlorophyll? What can it do?

9. What happens to the hydrogens? Chlorophyll uses light energy to bounce the electrons up to a higher energy state and give them to NADP + to make NADPH This traps the energy from sunlight in a chemical NADP+

10. Think-pear-share Why doesn’t the plant just stop here? The light energy is trapped as chemical energy? Why bother making glucose? What is glucose good for?

11. What happens to the hydrogens? The protons from the hydrogens are moved into the lumen of the thylakoid H + H + H + H + H + H + H + H + H + H + H + H + H +

12. Protons Protons cannot cross the membrane because they have a charge When they move by facilitated diffusion, ATP is made

13. Think-pear-share Why can’t hydrogen protons cross the membrane of the thylakoid? What is it about membranes that prevents them from moving?

14. So… H 2 O Released Protons used to make ATP Electrons to NADP + Draw this

15. Calvin Cycle CO 2 enters the leaf ATP and NADPH power the cycle Glucose is made

16. Let’s follow the atoms on their journey through photosynthesis ending with…CO 2

17. Where do the atoms ( carbon , hydrogen , and oxygen ) in a molecule of GLUCOSE come from?

18. What happens to the CO 2 ? CO 2 enters the leaf ATP powers the transfer of high energy electrons to C O 2 (and H 2 O ) to make C 6 H 12 O 6

19. Think-pear-share Where did those high energy electrons come from originally? How did they get to be so high in energy?

20. So… H 2 O C O 2 C 6 H 12 O 6 Draw this

21. The law of conservation of matter How does the law of conservation of matter explain how the atoms in CO 2 and H 2 O are used to make sugars.