What is photosynthesis biology

The size and depth of a still body of water are major factors in determining the characteristics of that ecosystem. Learn in this elaborate tutorial how life thrives in and influenced by a still-water habitat Comparing the rate of photosynthesis with different wavelengths of light.

Unusual Plants. Skip to content Main Navigation Search. Dictionary Articles Tutorials Biology Forum. Photosynthesis — Photolysis and Carbon Fixation Photosynthesis is the process that plants undertake to create organic materials from carbon dioxide and water, with the help of sunlight- all of which are investigated in this tutorial Plant Metabolism Plants are responsible for incredible feats of molecular transformation.

Photosynthesis Opens a modal. Breaking down photosynthesis stages Opens a modal. Intro to photosynthesis Opens a modal. Practice Photosynthesis Get 3 of 4 questions to level up!

The light-dependent reactions. How do you turn light energy into chemical energy? Find out how plants perform this amazing energy transformation. We'll dive into the properties of light, how chlorophylls and other pigments absorb light, and how the absorbed energy is stored in chemical bonds. Conceptual overview of light dependent reactions Opens a modal.

Light dependent reactions actors Opens a modal. In photosystem I, the electron comes from the chloroplast electron transport chain. The two photosystems oxidize different sources of the low-energy electron supply, deliver their energized electrons to different places, and respond to different wavelengths of light.

In the light-independent reactions or Calvin cycle, the energized electrons from the light-dependent reactions provide the energy to form carbohydrates from carbon dioxide molecules. The light-independent reactions are sometimes called the Calvin cycle because of the cyclical nature of the process.

Although the light-independent reactions do not use light as a reactant and as a result can take place at day or night , they require the products of the light-dependent reactions to function. After the energy is transferred, the energy carrier molecules return to the light-dependent reactions to obtain more energized electrons.

In addition, several enzymes of the light-independent reactions are activated by light. Privacy Policy. Skip to main content. Search for:. Overview of Photosynthesis. The Purpose and Process of Photosynthesis The process of photosynthesis converts light energy to chemical energy, which can be used by organisms for different metabolic processes.

Learning Objectives Describe the process of photosynthesis. Key Takeaways Key Points Photosynthesis evolved as a way to store the energy in solar radiation as high-energy electrons in carbohydrate molecules. Plants, algae, and cyanobacteria, known as photoautotrophs, are the only organisms capable of performing photosynthesis. Heterotrophs, unable to produce their own food, rely on the carbohydrates produced by photosynthetic organisms for their energy needs.

Key Terms photosynthesis : the process by which plants and other photoautotrophs generate carbohydrates and oxygen from carbon dioxide, water, and light energy in chloroplasts photoautotroph : an organism that can synthesize its own food by using light as a source of energy chemoautotroph : a simple organism, such as a protozoan, that derives its energy from chemical processes rather than photosynthesis.

Main Structures and Summary of Photosynthesis In multicellular autotrophs, the main cellular structures that allow photosynthesis to take place include chloroplasts, thylakoids, and chlorophyll. Learning Objectives Describe the main structures involved in photosynthesis and recall the chemical equation that summarizes the process of photosynthesis.

Chloroplasts contain disc-shaped structures called thylakoids, which contain the pigment chlorophyll. Chlorophyll absorbs certain portions of the visible spectrum and captures energy from sunlight.

Key Terms chloroplast : An organelle found in the cells of green plants and photosynthetic algae where photosynthesis takes place. The Two Parts of Photosynthesis Light-dependent and light-independent reactions are two successive reactions that occur during photosynthesis.

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You cannot download interactives. Plants are autotrophs, which means they produce their own food. They use the process of photosynthesis to transform water, sunlight, and carbon dioxide into oxygen, and simple sugars that the plant uses as fuel. These primary producers form the base of an ecosystem and fuel the next trophic levels. Without this process, life on Earth as we know it would not be possible. We depend on plants for oxygen production and food.

Learn more about this vital process with these classroom resources.