Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration

📋 Course Outline

1. Photosynthesis Overview
2. Light-Dependent Reactions
3. Calvin Cycle
4. Cellular Respiration Overview
5. Glycolysis Process
6. Krebs Cycle
7. Electron Transport Chain
8. Process Comparison
9. Regulation Mechanisms
10. Process Interconnection
11. Key Molecules and Enzymes

📖 1. Photosynthesis Overview

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• Photosynthesis: The biochemical process by which green plants, algae, and some bacteria convert light energy into chemical energy stored in glucose, using carbon dioxide and water, releasing oxygen as a byproduct.
• Chlorophyll: The green pigment in chloroplasts that absorbs light energy, primarily in the blue and red wavelengths, enabling photosynthesis.
• Chloroplasts: Organelles within plant cells where photosynthesis occurs, containing thylakoid membranes and stroma.
• Light-dependent reactions: The first stage of photosynthesis occurring in the thylakoid membranes, where light energy is converted into chemical energy (ATP and NADPH).
• Light-independent reactions (Calvin Cycle): The second stage occurring in the stroma, where ATP and NADPH are used to convert CO2 into glucose.
• Calvin Cycle: A series of enzyme-assisted reactions that fix carbon dioxide into organic molecules, producing G3P which can be used to synthesize glucose.

📝 Essential Points