Photosynthesis and Cellular

Respiration
By Louis Goldschmidt
 Bolded words can be
Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration found in the glossary.

Contents The Krebs Cycle . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Photosynthesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 The Electron Transport Chain . . 22
What is Photosynthesis? . . 4 Alcoholic Fermentation . . . . . . . 23
... 5 Lactic Acid Fermentation . . . . . 24
Chlorophylls Capture Light . . . . 6 Anaerobic Respiration . . . . . . . 25
Light Dependent Reactions . . . . Cellular Respiration vs
Light Independent Reactions 10 Photosynthesis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
(The Calvin Cycle) . . . . . . . . . 13 Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
How They Work Together . . . . 14 Citations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Cellular Respiration . . . . . . . . . . 15
What is Cellular 16
R i ti ?
 PHOTOSYNTHESIS
How Plants Turn Light into Energy
What is Photosynthesis?

Photosynthesis is the process in which plants,

algae, and some bacteria harvest energy from
light, which can then be stored as
carbohydrates in the plant.
Chlorophylls Capture Light

Chlorophylls absorb light, like solar panels for

the plant. Chlorophylls are green pigments
inside chloroplasts, where the photosynthesis
happens. Photosynthesis
reactions happen in 2 different
ways -- in dependent reactions,
and in light independent reactions.
Light Dependent Reactions

Light dependent reactions happen inside the

thylakoids, which are a part of the chloroplast.
Charged chlorophylls lead to high-energy
electrons within the thylakoid, which are carried
to their destination using electron transport
chains. - -
- - - -
PROTEINS PROTEINS
The proteins of the electron transport chain
use the energy from the electrons to pull in
hydrogen atoms from outside the thylakoid.
Eventually the hydrogen will exit the thylakoid
again through channels called ATP synthase,
changing the ADP there into ATP by adding a
phosphate group.
When the electron transport chain ends, the
high energy electrons and hydrogen add
themselves to the NADP+ molecules to form
NADPH, which will store and transport them.

H
-
-
PROTEINS NADPH
PROTEINS
In order to repeat the reaction, enzymes break
apart water molecules to supply the plant with
hydrogen and electrons. The oxygen from the
water molecules is released, as the plant
cannot use it for anything
else.
Light Independent Reactions (The Calvin Cycle)

Light independent reactions use the energy

created during the light dependent reactions to
create long-term energy stores for the plant,
transforming the chemical energy into
carbohydrates.

LIGHT-INDEPENDENT REACTIONS
To begin the Calvin Cycle, carbon is taken in
from various sources. The carbon then bonds
together in groups of 3. The 3-carbon
molecules are broken down using energy
from ATP and NADPH.
As the carbon goes through the cycle, 2 of the
molecules are removed and 10 continue on in
the cycle. The 2 3-carbon molecules bond
together to make a 6-carbon molecule, or a
sugar.
CELLULAR RESPIRATION
How All Organisms
Turn Oxygen into Energy
What is Cellular Respiration?

Cellular respiration
is the process in
which oxygen is used
to break down organic
molecules for chemical
energy by producing ATP. Cellular respiration
takes place in all organisms.
How They Work Together

Light dependent reactions transform light into

energy, which is then used in light independent
reactions to turn the unstable energy made in the
process -- ATP and NADPH -- into stable
energy, or carbohydrates.
Glycolysis
During glycolysis, a 6-carbon glucose
molecule is broken down into 2 3-carbon
molecules which are called pyruvate, a reactant
which is transported to the mitochondrion.
Glycolysis uses 2 ATP and produces 4 ATP,
contributing a net gain of 2 ATP. 2 electron pairs
will be produced from each glucose molecule
will transform the NAD+ into NADH used to carry
the electrons to the mitochondrion.
 TRANSPORTING ELECTRON PAIR

NAD+ → NADH NAD+ → NADH

TRANSPORTING ELECTRON PAIR

-
-
-
- 2 ATP
-

GLYCOLYSIS
+ 4 ATP
GLUCOSE

PYRUVATE PYRUVATE
 The Krebs Cycle

If oxygen is available, the pyruvate produced

from glycolysis will be introduced to the
mitochondrion.

PYRUVATE
IF OXYGEN IS PRESENT

PYRUVATE
MITOCHONDRION
 CARBON
DIOXIDE NADH

The pyruvate will be broken down into a 2-

carbon molecule, and NADH will be formed in the
process. The molecule bonds to coenzyme A.
The 2-carbon molecule and coenzyme A makes
acetyl-CoA.

COENZYME
A
2-CARBON
PYRUVATE MOLECULE
After the acetyl-CoA is formed, acetyl-CoA’s
carbon will bond with oxaloacetate, a 4-carbon
molecule. A 6-carbon molecule, citric acid, will
be formed. The molecule is then changed again,
into another 4-carbon molecule, releasing
carbon dioxide in the process. Oxaloacetate is
formed again to restart the process with a new
acetyl-CoA.
 During the process, energy is released in the
form of more molecules to transport electrons,
NADH and FAD2. A small amount of that energy
will also go towards making ATP, but the majority
of the ATP is formed in the electron transport
chain.

FAD2 FAD2
NADH NADH NADH
The Electron Transport Chain FAD

Electron-carriers bring the high energy electrons

to the protein pump inside the mitochondrion.
This process releases energy which is used to
bring hydrogen into the organelle. Diffusion of
the hydrogen back out of the organelle through
ATP synthase creates 34 ATP per glucose
molecule. At the end of the chain, the electrons
bond to hydrogen and oxygen, creating water
molecules. NAD+ and FAD are recycled.
Alcoholic Fermentation

When oxygen is not available, microorganisms

including yeast will undergo alcoholic
fermentation. This process produces ethyl acid
and carbon dioxide. This process can be used
to make bread and alcoholic beverages.
Lactic Acid Fermentation

When oxygen is not available, most organisms

will undergo lactic acid fermentation, which
essentially means that pyruvate is being
converted to lactic acid. Lactic acid
can
be turned back into pyruvate later.
Anaerobic Respiration

Both forms of anaerobic respiration (alcoholic

fermentation and lactic acid fermentation) will
produce NAD+ for glycolysis. They will also
produce 2 ATP per glucose molecule, as
opposed to over 30 ATP produced during
aerobic respiration.
Cellular Respiration vs Photosynthesis
Glossary
Word Definition
Acetyl-CoA Used as an ingredient of citric acid in the Krebs
Cycle, contributes a 2-carbon molecule.
ADP Adenosine diphosphate -- what happens when a
phosphate is removed from ATP to create energy.
ADP is like an uncharged battery that has the
potential to be charged.
Aerobic Cellular respiration that used oxygen to break down
Respiration nutrients. Aerobic respiration produces over 30
ATP per glucose molecule.
Alcoholic The process that microorganisms use to create
Fermentation energy when there is no oxygen available.
Anaerobic An umbrella term for both types of cellular
Respiration respiration done when there is no oxygen available.
ATP Adenosine triphosphate -- a short-term source of
energy used in the cell. Energy is released by
breaking off the 3rd phosphate to form ADP.
ATP A protein that helps to create ATP out of ADP by
Synthase adding a 3rd phosphate.
Calvin Cycle Also called light independent reactions -- the
process of transforming chemical energy into
carbohydrates for long-term energy storage in a
plant.
Carbohydrate Organic compounds such as sugar and starches
s used for stable energy storage in cells.
Carbon Carbon bonded with 2 oxygen atoms produces as a
Dioxide byproduct of cellular respiration. Plants use carbon
dioxide to complete photosynthesis.
Cellular Cellular respiration is the process in which oxygen
Respiration is used to break down organic molecules for
chemical energy. Cellular respiration takes place in
all organisms.
Chemical Potential energy stored in compounds and
Energy molecules.
Chlorophylls The green pigment inside the chloroplast that
absorbs light.
Chloroplasts An organelle that allows photosynthesis to happen,
found in plants, algae, and some bacteria.
Citric Acid A compound produced during cellular respiration --
6 carbon atoms.
Coenzyme A Used to prepare pyruvate to be made into citric
acid.
Diffusion Passive transport of particles from an area with a
higher concentration of those particles to an area
with fewer of those particles.
Electron Proteins that channel high energy electrons,
Transport forming energy in the process.
Chain
Enzymes A protien that makes reactions happen faster.
Glucose A monosaccharide, and common type of simple
sugar.
Glycolysis The process of breaking glucose (6 carbon atoms)
into pyruvate (3 carbon atoms). This process
produces a net gain of 2 ATP.
Krebs Cycle The process of creating electron carriers for the
electron transport chain.
Lactic Acid The process that most living things carry out to
Fermentation make energy when oxygen is not available.
Microorganis A microscopic organism.
m
Mitochondrion An organelle found in most cells, used to create
energy for the cell.
NAD+ Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, an electron
carrier that accepts a pair of high-energy electrons
and then changes into NADH.
NADH An electron carrier with a pair of electrons on
board, NAD+ but with electrons.
NADP+ An electron carrier designed to take high energy
electrons out of chlorophyll.
NADPH NADP+ but with 2 high-energy electrons and a
hydrogen ion.
Organelle A specialized section of the cell.
Organic The molecules that make up living things.
Molecules
Organisms Life composed of one or more cells.
Oxaloacetate A 4-carbon molecule used as an ingredient of citric
acid in the Krebs Cycle.
Photosynthes Photosynthesis is the process in which plants,
is algae, and some bacteria harvest energy from light,
which can then be stored as carbohydrates in the
plant.
Pyruvate A 3-carbon compound that is used as a reactant in
the Krebs cycle.
Thylakoids A part of a chloroplast that carries out most of the
photosynthesis reactions.
Citations

ATP Model (Slide 13): By Ben Mills - Own work, Public

Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.
php?curid=3451879
Nematode Photo (Slide 16): Gschmeissner, Steve.
Nematode Worm. 18 Sept. 2018.
All other photos are copyright free.
Information courtesy of Florida Virtual School curriculum.