Photosynthesis - Light Dependent Reactions

After discussing the results of the CDTs with you we moved back our chapter on bioenergetics.  We started with the following daily questions

Thursday December 6^th 

During the first stage of photosynthesis energy from the SUN is absorbed by pigments such as Chlorophyll.

This causes electrons to get Excited and jump from one chlorophyll molecule to the next

In the mean time Water molecules are split and Oxygen is released into the atmosphere.

We then continued with notes on photosynthesis.  Today we focused on the light Dependent reactions and made models of this. See the pics and descriptions below.  Check edline for the notes!!


The first thing we did was split water molecules using energy
from the sun.

For each two water molecules, one molecule of Oxygen is
released (the oxygen that we breath) and the hydrogen ions
are now going to create a concentration gradient within the
thylakoid membrane.



Next up is the creation of Two short term energy molecules

ATP is made by adding a phosphate (red) to a molecule
of ADP (Yellow)

NADPH is created by adding a Hydrogen Ion (blue) to
NADP (Orange)

These processes were known as the light dependent reactions because they depended on energy from the sun to perform.  Tomorrow we will move into the light Independent reaction which will be the creation of glucose from carbon dioxide molecules using the energy created during the steps above!!
Hold on tight!!!!!!