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SCIENCEFACTSHALONASAISS

Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants, algae, and certain bacteria convert light energy into chemical energy stored in glucose, occurring in two main stages: light-dependent reactions and the Calvin cycle. In the light-dependent reactions, sunlight is absorbed, leading to ATP and NADPH production, while oxygen is released as a byproduct. The Calvin cycle utilizes ATP and NADPH to convert carbon dioxide into glucose, summarized by the equation 6CO2 + 6H2O + light energy → C6H12O6 + 6O2.

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5 views1 page

SCIENCEFACTSHALONASAISS

Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants, algae, and certain bacteria convert light energy into chemical energy stored in glucose, occurring in two main stages: light-dependent reactions and the Calvin cycle. In the light-dependent reactions, sunlight is absorbed, leading to ATP and NADPH production, while oxygen is released as a byproduct. The Calvin cycle utilizes ATP and NADPH to convert carbon dioxide into glucose, summarized by the equation 6CO2 + 6H2O + light energy → C6H12O6 + 6O2.

Uploaded by

deltasrxsiraxsierra
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as TXT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Certainly!

Here's a lengthy science fact about the process of photosynthesis, which


is vital for life on Earth:
Photosynthesis is the biochemical process by which green plants, algae, and certain
bacteria convert light energy into chemical energy stored in glucose. This process
occurs primarily in the chloroplasts of plant cells, where chlorophyll—the green
pigment—captures sunlight. Photosynthesis can be divided into two main stages: the
light-dependent reactions and the light-independent reactions (Calvin cycle).
During the light-dependent reactions, which take place in the thylakoid membranes
of chloroplasts, sunlight is absorbed by chlorophyll and other pigments. This
energy excites electrons, leading to their transfer through a series of proteins
known as the electron transport chain. As electrons move through this chain, they
cause protons (H⁺ ions) to be pumped from the stroma into the thylakoid lumen,
creating a proton gradient. When protons flow back into the stroma through ATP
synthase—an enzyme that acts like a turbine—ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is
produced. Additionally, water molecules are split (a process called photolysis),
releasing oxygen as a byproduct and providing replacement electrons to chlorophyll.
In parallel with these reactions, NADP⁺ is reduced to NADPH—a key electron carrier
used later in sugar synthesis.
The second stage of photosynthesis occurs in the stroma during what’s called the
Calvin cycle or light-independent reactions. Here, ATP and NADPH generated from the
light-dependent phase are utilized to convert carbon dioxide from atmospheric air
into glucose through a series of enzymatic reactions involving ribulose
bisphosphate (RuBP) carboxylase/oxygenase (commonly known as RuBisCO). The first
stable product formed during this process is 3-phosphoglycerate (3-PGA), which goes
through several transformations using ATP and NADPH before ultimately forming
glucose.
The overall chemical equation summarizing photosynthesis can be written as:
\[
6CO_2 + 6H_2O + \text{light energy} \rightarrow C_6H_{12}O_6 + 6O_2
\]
This means that six molecules of carbon dioxide react with six molecules of water
using light energy to produce one molecule of glucose and six molecules of oxygen

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