Light Dependent Reactions During Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis consists of two things, Light Dependent Reactions and Light Independent Reactions which both take place inside of chloroplast cells. Photosynthesis is the process in which autotrophs, organisms that make their own food, use sunlight to process their own food. Water, sunlight, and oxygen are all substances that undergo change during photosynthesis and oxygen and glucose are the products of the reactants. Chloroplasts, the cell where photosynthesis takes place, contains thylakoids, the granum, and the stroma.

Light Dependent Reactions is the reaction during photosynthesis which releases oxygen. This reaction occurs in the thylakoids which are a main part of a chloroplast. The equation that shows the production of oxygen is H2O + sunlight ---- ATP + O2 + NADPH. Light Dependent Reactions consist of Photosystem II and I. Photosystems are multiple clusters of chlorophyll and proteins that are located in the thylakoids. Photosystem II is the production where sunlight energy is absorbed by elections. H20 is then broken into two electrons and 2 H+ ions which then produces oxygen. This is also known as Electron Transport Chain (ETC). Photosystem I is the second production where light reenergizes electrons to continue on the process of ETC because

Inside of the stroma is the Calvin Cycle. The equation for the Calvin Cycle is NADPH + CO2 + ATP ----- C6H12O6 (sugars). During the Calvin Cycle, CO2 enters and combines with a 5 carbon compound then proceeds to make 3 carbon compounds. 6CO2 then combines with six 5-carbon compounds and creates twelve 3-carbon compounds. Halfway through the cycle, two 3-carbon compounds are removed to produce sugar, which is what Light Independent Reactions produces during photosynthesis. The remaining 10 carbon compounds are converted to 5-carbon compounds and are used again in the Calvin Cycle until they are removed to produce