General biologyLesson 1 of 1 in the course Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis: Energy Flow, Chloroplast Structure, and Reactions

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 4 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Photosynthesis captures energy from sunlight and stores it in carbohydrate molecules. This lesson explains why photosynthesis supports life and how energy moves from photosynthetic organisms to other organisms through food.

Cells need energy to perform work. Much of the energy used by living things is stored in carbohydrates, which can be broken down by cells to release usable energy. Photosynthesis is the process by which certain organisms capture sunlight and use that energy to build carbohydrate molecules.

All flashcards

What is photosynthesis?
The process by which certain organisms use sunlight to build carbohydrates, storing energy in chemical form.
What is a photoautotroph?
An autotroph that uses sunlight for energy and carbon dioxide as a carbon source to make carbohydrates.
What are stomata?
Regulated openings in leaves through which carbon dioxide enters and oxygen exits.
What is a granum?
A stack of thylakoids inside a chloroplast.
Where does the Calvin cycle occur?
In the stroma, the fluid-filled region inside a chloroplast.

Quiz questions

  1. Which pair of products appears in the simplified balanced equation for photosynthesis?Answer: Glucose and oxygen.
  2. Where do the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis occur?Answer: At the thylakoid membrane.
  3. Which leaf layer contains many cells with chloroplasts and is a main site of photosynthesis?Answer: The mesophyll.
  4. What role does carbon dioxide play in photosynthesis?Answer: It supplies carbon incorporated into sugar.
  5. What happens to water during the light-dependent reactions?Answer: It is split, releasing oxygen as a byproduct.

Based on Concepts of Biology by Samantha Fowler, Rebecca Roush, James Wise (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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