Cell Energetics Vocabulary Set
Photosynthesis: The process where a plant, algae, bacteria or other organism uses chlorophyll
and other pigments to make sugar (glucose) using sunlight as a source of
energy.
Carbon
Dioxide: CO2 -
The atmospheric gas that a photosynthetic organism uses as a source of
carbon to make glucose.
Oxygen: O2- A waste product produced
during the splitting of water (photolysis) during the light reaction.
NADPH: A co-enzyme that is used by the plant to
transfer energy from the light reaction to the light-independent reaction.
ATP: The energy-carrying molecule that is used by
living organisms as a source of energy.
Light
Reaction: The first part of
photosynthesis that is uses light energy to produce NADPH and ATP. These will carry energy to the
light-independent reaction.
Light-
Independent Reaction/Calvin Cycle: The
2nd part of photosynthesis where a plant brings in carbon dioxide
and uses it to form glucose using NADPH and ATP as a source of energy.
Electron
Transport: The process where electrons flow along a membrane and provide energy
to pump hydrogens across the membrane.
Photosystem
2: The first site of light absorption.
It is here that the chloroplast splits water to form protons (H+),
electrons and oxygen gas.
Photosystem
1: The 2nd site of light
absorption that uses light energy to enhance electron flow to produce NADPH.
ATP-synthase: The integral membrane protein that is used
by the chloroplast to produce ATP using the flow of hydrogen ions/protons as an energy source.
Photon: A specific amount of light. the smallest possible packet of light at a
given wavelength
Light
Spectrum: The broad range of colors of
light and those that are beyond the capability of our vision, such as x-rays
and microwaves.
Chloroplast: The organelle in a plant cell that is used
to produce sugar (glucose) from sunlight, water and carbon dioxide.
Stromata: The opening in a plants leaf that is used
for gas exchange.
Accessory
pigments: pigments that absorb colors
of light beyond those of chlorophyll A and then transfer this energy to
chlorophyll A.
Chlorophyll
A: The main photosynthetic pigment of
photosynthesis. GREEN
Chlorophyll
B: An accessory pigment used in
photosynthesis. Also Green
Beta-Carotenes: An accessory pigment found in plants. Orange
Xanthophylls: An accessory pigments found in plants. Yellow
Glucose: A sugar that is produced during photosynthesis
G3p: glyceraldehydes –3-phosphate -
The carbon containing product of the light-independent reaction that
will be used to form glucose and other sugars.
6CO2+
6 H2O + light à C6H12O6 + 6O2 :
The chemical equation that shows the process of photosynthesis.
Carbon
Fixation: The process where a photosynthetic organism gets carbon dioxide gas
from the atmosphere and puts them together to form a sugar. Imagine that! Sugar from gas!