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The Relationship between Light and Photosynthesis
Hypothesis of photosynthesis influenced by light
The light dependent reaction in photosynthesis practical
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Photosynthesis is a series of light driven reactions that convert energy poor compounds such as carbon dioxide and water to energy rich sugars [1] such as glucose. The process generate an electron gradient across the membrane of a chloroplast, which is used for ATP synthesis, and simultaneously produces electrons used to make NADPH, using NADP+ as an energy carrier[2]. Crudely put, it is the method by which autotrophic plants make their own ‘food.’
All eukaryotic plant cells that have coloured plastids contain their photosynthetic pigments in these membrane bound units [3]. In land plants, the facilitators of photosynthesis are the chloroplasts.
Photosynthesis is not a young process- there is evidence that algal photosynthesis existed at least two billion years ago, possibly even as long as three [4]. It has been suggested that the process originated not long after the origin of living organisms [3] however free living organisms were the synthesisers, not plants as we know today.
The oldest known photosynthesisers were small aquatic bacteria, such as cyanobacteria and Halobacterium halobium. Biomarkers indicate organisms similar to cyanobacteria were present 2.7 billion years ago [5], and other archaeological fossils have been shown as evidence of photosynthesis at this early stage of Earth’s development. Cyanobacteria, like modern plants, use the energy of the sun to power their photosynthesis, and can photosynthesise in both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. [6] Cyanobacteria were one of the first organisms to produce oxygen. This newly produced oxygen was toxic to a majority of the other species of organism at the time, causing extinction. It was also responsible for the production of an ozone atmosphere [7].
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... and partly fill the need for absorption, and are particularly suited to blue light [8].
Photosynthesis has slowly evolved as a non-linear process. Cyanobacteria hold some of the most responsibility for the process- they allowed for a more oxygenic atmosphere which facilitated the evolution of oxygenic photosystems in land plants. They alone cannot take full credit, and there are many other contributors to modern photosynthesis, from algae to simple pigments such as chlorophyll and bacterial rhodopsin. It has shaped the world around us, from our landscape to the species of animal we see, it could be said to have directly allowed for our own evolution. It can be sure however that it is an extremely successful evolution, a finely tuned process which each photosynthesising species has tailored to its needs, and perhaps may continue to evolve in its efficacy.
Photosynthesis consists of the following equation: Sun light Carbon dioxide + Water = = == == ==> Glucose + Oxygen Chlorophyll Chlorophyll is a substance found in chloroplasts, found in the cells of leaves.
Investigation Into the Colour of Light Needed to Start a Photosynthesis Reaction Diagrams [IMAGE] Method The apparatus for this experiment will be setup as shown in the diagram, for all the experiments the coloured filter will be 5cm away from the white light bulb, which is a 60watt bulb, and the beaker will be 20cm away from the edge of the coloured filter. Just before the experiment takes place we will place the pond weed (which has been in darkness for at least 24 hours to stop it any photosynthesis) into the beaker. I will then place the funnel over the pond weed and place the test-tube into the beaker (like the diagram above) I will then fill the beaker up with cold tap water till it covers the bottom of the test tube (450ml).
Experiment #1: The purpose of this experiment is to investigate the effects of baking soda and light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis of green spinach leave through the observation of floating disk.
The green pigment in the chloroplasts are called chlorophyll and that is what absorbs light for a process called photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is a process to make “plant food” and it takes place in the chloroplasts. The process needs sunlight, water, oxygen and carbon dioxide to create sugar. The food created in photosynthesis helps the plant grow and survive, without it, the plant would not have energy or food to do simple tasks. Furthermore, the plant takes less oxygen and releases more oxygen during photosynthesis. In addition, like I said earlier chloroplasts have chlorophyll in them and the chlorophyll gives the plant the unique green color. To summarize, the chloroplasts are vital to plants because they create food from a process called
The energy inside molecules is called chemical energy, so light energy is converted into chemical energy by the chlorophyll. I believe that the results are reliable enough to support the hypothesis, because the graph of results proves the hypothesis because the gradient of the curve increases with the increase of the light intensity. I think that the method used is reliable enough to support the prediction. Overall, both graphs and my results support my predictions fully. My idea that the rate of photosynthesis would increase with light intensity was comprehensively backed up by my results.
The Prentice Gallery Chemistry book defines photosynthesis as, “The procedure by which green plants and algae use radiant power from the sun to fuse glucose from carbon dioxide and water.” The glory of discovering photosynthesis does not belong to any one scientist, but rather numerous scientists contributed to refining the concept we now know as photosynthesis. Before describing the process of photosynthesis, I will provide a brief description of several of the important events that led to its discovery.
Reference List Speer, B.R., (1997, July 9) Photosynthetic pigments https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/photosynthesis-in-plants/the-light-dependent-reactions-of-photosynthesis/a/light-and-photosynthetic-pigments Dominick, P, (2018) Photosynthesis 1 The University of Arizona, (2001,
The existence of Cyanobacteria is of vital importance to all life on planet earth. The process by which the amospehere of planet earth changed, from its early atmosphere to what it is present day is due to the process of photosynthesis, which is originated in a Cyanobacterium. Oxygenic photosynthesis is what made Cyanobacteria unique among the early organisms on planet earth whereby it used Carbon dioxide from the atmospehere and water as an electron donor to produce carbohydrates, releasing oxygen as a byproduct. In comparison, other early organisms on planet earth produced energy via
...hemical energy from cyanobacteria (the only bacteria that can perform photosynthesis) 2.4 billion years ago (Wernergreen). The first chloroplast came into being about one billion years ago when a single-celled protist and a cyanobacterium came together through endosymbiosis, and this first photosynthesizing eukaryotic lineage was the ancestor of land plants, green algae, and red algae. Cyanobacteria and algae endosymbionts have spread photosynthetic capabilities in such a broad range (Wernergreen). In other words, heterotrophic prokaryote cells had taken in autotrophic photosynthetic bacteria cells. The ingested cell continued to provide glucose and oxygen by photosynthesis. The host cell protected as well as provided carbon dioxide and nitrogen for the engulfed cell and overtime both cells lost the aptitude to survive without each other (Weber and Osteryoung).
Cyanobacteria are one of the largest and most important groups of bacteria on the earth. Often called ‘the blue-green algae’ Cyanobacteria is in fact, not an algae at all. Algae are eukaryotic, whereas cyanobacteria, is a bacteria, and is prokaryotic. The name algae is used to refer to any aquatic organisms capable of photosynthesis, so the term is considered general, though in this case, inaccurate. Being tiny and normally unicellular, cyanobacteria grow in large colonies, making them visible to the human eye, and often dominate aquatic habitats such as shorelines. Over their 3.5 billion year reign, Cyanobacteria have helped to successfully establish the earth’s atmosphere, making it possible for human life forms to thrive and some of the oldest known fossils in the world are cyanobacteria, earning it the title of one of the great survivors of all time.
They are accessory pigment molecules that cascade light energy to primary pigments. Carotenoids absorb wavelengths in the blue and green region of the visible spectrum (400-550nm) and reflect wavelengths of 590-650nm so appear red-orange in colour. They are found in all plants and some photosynthetic bacteria. Carotenoids are separated into two groups, carotenes and xanthophylls. Carotenes (C40H56) are polyunsaturated hydrocarbons containing no oxygen and include pigments such as α-carotene, β-carotene, and lycopene. They give the orange colour to carrots and autumn leaves. Xanthophylls (C40H56O2) contain oxygen and include lutein and zeaxanthin. Carotenoids contain alternating carbon-carbon double bonds and single bonds, forming a conjugation system where electrons in the fourth outer shell are in p-orbitals which overlap. This overlapping produces a system of π-bonds with delocalised electrons. The delocalised electrons are free to move so are more easily lost because less energy is needed to raise them to an excited state. Shorter wavelengths towards the blue end of the spectrum with lower energies are absorbed because of the lower energy
Photosynthesis is a process in plants that converts light energy into chemical energy, which is stored in bonds of sugar. The process occurs in the chloroplasts, using chlorophyll. Photosynthesis takes place in green leaves. Glucose is made from the raw materials, carbon dioxide, water, light energy and oxygen is given off as a waste product. In these light-dependent reactions, energy is used to split electrons from suitable substances such as water, producing oxygen. In plants, sugars are produced by a later sequence of light-independent reactions called th...
Photosynthesis and cellular respiration help sustain life on planet earth as both are metabolic processes in their own way. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants and other organisms use energy from the sun to form glucose from water and carbon dioxide. From there, glucose is then converted to ATP by way of cellular respiration. To convert nutrients that are biochemical energy into ATP, a process such as cellular respiration that has reactions needs to take shape in the cell of an organism, releasing waste products at the same time. For the continuous energy cycle that tolerates life on Earth as we know it Photosynthesis and Cellular respiration very essential. They have a few stages where energy and various connections occur within the eukaryotic cell. Cellular respiration takes place in the lysosome, an organelle that is found in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells. It uses enzymes to break down biomolecules including proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids. Photosynthesis involves the chloroplasts, which contain pigments that absorb the sunlight and then transfigure them to sugars the plant can use. Those specific processes are crucial in how far and diversified evolution has
According to scientists, photosynthesis is “the process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water. Photosynthesis in plants generally involves the green pigment chlorophyll and generates oxygen as a byproduct.” ("pho•to•syn•the•sis,")
however it does not easily absorb green or yellow light, rather it. reflects it, this decreases the rate of photosynthesis. This can