Photosynthesis

Making glucose from light energy

Day 3
 Photosynthesis
• During photosynthesis,
plants (=autotrophs) trap
the light energy from the
sun and store it as
chemical energy in energy-
rich organic molecules
(starch, glucose)
• Autotrophs transform light
energy into chemical
energy.

Sunlight + CO2 + H2O 🡪 C6H12O6 + O2

Anatomy of a Chloroplast
 The Reactions of
Photosynthesis
• Photosynthesis is divided into two
stages:
1. The light reactions (occur in the grana of
the chloroplast)
2. The dark reactions/Calvin Cycle (occur in
the stroma of the chloroplast)
 The light reactions
(light-dependent)
• The light reaction requires light
• Occur in the grana (stacks of thylakoids)
– Photons from the sun excite electrons in
Water molecules, H2O splits into individual
molecules in a process called photolysis
• H2O 🡪 O2 + H+
– Energy is stored
• ADP + Phosphate 🡪 ATP
• The oxygen is released as a by-product,
the hydrogen and ATP go on to the dark
reactions. Hydrogen is carried to the dark
reaction by molecules called NADP+
 The dark reactions
(light-independent)
• AKA: CALVIN CYCLE
• Occur in the stroma
• Do not require light
• Uses the energy formed during the light
reactions
• Carbohydrates are formed
– CO2 + H+ + ATP 🡪 C6H12O6
What affects the rate of photosynthesis?
Sunlight + CO2 + H2O 🡪 C6H12O6 + O2
• Amount of :
- sunlight
- CO2
- H2O
- temperature
• All the reactions of photosynthesis are controlled by
enzymes. Temperatures above or below the
optimum temperature will slow down the chemical
reactions.
 Rate of Photosynthesis

Sunlight + CO2 + H2O ---🡪 C6H12O6 + O2

Cellular Energy - ATP
Day 4
 What is ATP?
• Cells need to transform the energy trapped in
the bonds of energy-rich molecules (glucose)
into ATP
Glucose has too much energy = $100 bill
ATP stores energy in small packets = $1bill
• Energy released during respiration is stored in
the bonds of ATP
Adenosi P P P
ne
When the last bond is broken, energy is
released to be used by the cell.
ADP: Adenosine diphosphate ATP: Adenosine triphosphate

• ATP is use for short term energy storage.

• When cells need energy, enzymes break the last
phosphate bond and release the energy stored in it
Cellular Respiration
Getting ATP from glucose
Day 4
 Cellular Respiration
• Cellular respiration is the process by which the
chemical energy stored in glucose (C6H12O6) is
released.
• The energy released is stored in smaller molecules
called ATP (adenosine triphosphate)
• Respiration occurs in ALL living organisms,
autotrophs and heterotrophs.
• Even though autotrophs make their own food
(glucose), they still need to break it down
to release the energy stored in glucose.

• 2 types of respiration: Aerobic and Anaerobic

 Cellular Respiration
1. Aerobic Respiration
C6H12O6 + O2 🡪 CO2 + H2O + Energy (ATP)

2. Anaerobic Respiration

C6H12O6 🡪 CO2 + Alcohol + Energy (ATP)

C6H12O6 🡪 Lactic acid + Energy (ATP)

Aerobic Cellular
Respiration
(WITH OXYGEN)
Day 4
 Aerobic Respiration
C6H12O6 + O2 🡪 CO2 + H2O + Energy (36 ATP)

• Aerobic respiration requires oxygen to break

down energy-rich molecules like glucose
• Complex and long process. Starts in the
cytoplasm and ends in the mitochondria.
• Energy stored in energy-rich molecules (like
glucose) is released in the form of ATP
• Aerobic respiration produces 36 ATP
for from each glucose
Steps in cellular respiration
• Cellular respiration is divided into 3 steps:
1) Glycolysis
2) Kreb’s Cycle
3) Electron transport chain and
ATP Synthase (oxidative
phosphorylation)
 Step 1: Glycolysis
• Glycolysis: anaerobic process that occurs
in the cytoplasm
– Anaerobic = does not require oxygen
• Cell absorbs glucose and breaks it down
into pyruvic acid, ATP, and NADH
• Formula:
– Glucose 🡺 pyruvic acid + ATP + NADH
Step 2: The Kreb’s Cycle
(aka citric acid cycle)
• Kreb’s cycle: aerobic process that occurs in
the mitochondria
• the pyruvic acid formed during glycolysis
moves on to the mitochondria in the presence
of oxygen
• The pyruvic acid is broken down into carbon
dioxide and ATP
• The carbon dioxide is released from the cell as
a by-product
Step 2: The Kreb’s Cycle
(aka citric acid cycle)
● Formula:
Pyruvic acid 🡪
carbon dioxide +
ATP + NADH +
FADH2
• Also produced are
molecules of
NADH and
FADH2 (electron
carriers)
 Step 3: Electron transport
chain and ATP Synthase
• Electron transport chain: occurs in the
mitochondria and is an aerobic process
• Occurs when the NADH and the FADH2
activate the electron transport chain and
cause the production of 32 additional ATP
molecules
• Oxygen is used as the final electron acceptor
of the ETC, becoming the final byproduct of
water.
Cell Respiration Overview
Anaerobic Cellular
Respiration
(WITHOUT OXYGEN)
Day 5
 Anaerobic Respiration
• Anaerobic respiration does not need oxygen to
release the energy from glucose
• It is a simple and short process BUT produces few
ATPs (2-4 ATP)
• There are 2 types of anaerobic respiration:
– Alcoholic Fermentation: yeast
C6H12O6 🡪 CO2 + Alcohol + Energy (2 ATP)

– Lactic Acid Fermentation: bacteria + muscle cells

C6H12O6 🡪 Lactic acid + Energy (2 ATP)
Alcoholic Fermentation
• Carried out by yeast
(fungus)
• When yeast run out of
oxygen (in bread dough or
grape juice), it starts
anaerobic fermentation
• Produces just a few ATPs

C6H12O6 🡪 CO2 + Alcohol + Energy (2 ATP)

 Lactic Acid Fermentation
• Carried out by muscle cells and
bacteria
• When muscle cells or bacteria
run out of oxygen they break
glucose into lactic acid and ATP
• The lactic acid makes yogurt,
pickles, kimchi, sour cream

C6H12O6 🡪 Lactic acid + Energy (2 ATP)

 The Cycle of
Photosynthesis and
Cellular Respiration
Day 5
 Photosynthesis and Respiration
• Photosynthesis and Respiration are complementary
processes.
• What is produced (made) by one, is needed by the
other.
• Autotrophs need heterotrophs and heterotrophs need
autotrophs

Sunlight + CO2 + H2O ---🡪 C6H12O6 + O2

C6H12O6 + O2 ---🡪 CO2 + H2O + Energy (ATP)

 Photosynthesis Respiration
Who: Autotrophs Who: Autotrophs and heterotrophs
Function: Energy capture Function: Energy release
Location: Chloroplasts Location: Mitochondria
Reactants: Sunlight + CO2 + H2O Reactants: C6H12O6 + O2
Products: C6H12O6 + O2 Products: CO2 + H2O + Energy (ATP)
Equation: Equation:
Sunlight + CO2 + H2O 🡪 C6H12O6 +O2 C6H12O6 + O2 ---🡪 CO2 + H2O + Energy (ATP)