Unit 4

Topic 5
 Photosynthesis
6CO2 + 6H2O C6H1206 + 6O2
Structure of Chloroplast
Pigments in the Chloroplast
Chlorophylls
• Chlorophyll A and Chlorophyll B
• Absorbs light in the red and blue-violet region
Carotenoids
• Accessory pigments such as carotene and
xanthophylls
• Absorbs the light in the blue-violet region
 Phosphorylation
Adding a phosphate to a molecule,
e.g ADP is phosphorylated to ATP.
 Photophosphorylation

Adding a
phosphate to a
molecule using
light
 Photolysis
The splitting of a molecule using
light energy
 Hydrolysis
The splitting of a molecule using
water, e.g ATP is hydrolysed to
ADP.
 Redox reactions
Reactions that involve oxidation
and reduction
• Reduction: Gain of electrons, gain
of hydrogen or loss of oxygen.
• Oxidation: Loss of electrons, loss
of hydrogen or gain of oxygen
 Coenzymes
• A coenzyme is a molecule that aids the function
of an enzyme.
• They work by transferring a chemical group from
one molecule to another.
• A coenzyme used in photosynthesis is NADP.
NADP transfers hydrogen from one molecule to
another – this means it can reduce (give
hydrogen) or oxidise (take hydrogen) a molecule
Describe structure of thylakoids
• Fluid filled sacs.
• Stacked up in structures called grana.