Photosynthesis may seem like an easy topic, based on what you learned in middle school. But, as we go a little deeper into the processes of how Plants chemically create glucose from a gas, a liquid, and sunlight we find that it is a whole lot more interesting and complicated. Below is a graphic organizer to show the parts of the chloroplast, the reactants, the products, and the important molecules involved in both the Light & Dark Reactions.
Light Reaction
- Light & Water enter the Thylakoid (or granum)
- Oxygen is released as a byproduct
- In the process, NADPH and ATP are charged and carry energy to the Dark Reactions.
Dark Reactions
- The ATP and NADPH, combined with Carbon Dioxide, create Glucose.
- The leftover NADP+ and ADP go back to the light reaction.
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