BRAINCAKEThe Process of Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is the process in which light energy is absorbed by chlorophyll and used to make organic molecules from carbon dioxide and water. It converts light energy into chemical energy stored in carbohydrate. The overall equation is:
6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2
Light energy and chlorophyll are needed, and oxygen is released as a waste product. The equation is the reverse of aerobic respiration, but the pathway is completely different.
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Key terms in this lesson
- thylakoid
- A flattened, membrane-bound sac inside a chloroplast, stacked into grana, where the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis take place.
- stroma
- The fluid-filled space surrounding the thylakoids inside a chloroplast, where the light-independent reactions (Calvin cycle) take place.
More in Photosynthesis
- Autotrophs and Heterotrophs
- Chloroplasts
- Chlorophyll
- Absorption Spectrum Chlorophyll
- Chromatography
- Photosystems
- The Light-Dependent Reactions
- Cyclic Photophosphorylation
All 20 lessons in Photosynthesis · All Edexcel A-level Biology topics