Department of Education

General Biology
Photosynthesis
Second Quarter – Week 2

Roberto C. Balistoy
Writer

Mary Vienne M. Pascual

Validator

Dr. Darylle Cesar G. Hilapo

Armida S. Oblinada
Quality Assurance Team

Schools Division Office – Muntinlupa City

Student Center for Life Skills Bldg., Centennial Ave., Brgy. Tunasan, Muntinlupa City
(02) 8805-9935 / (02) 8805-9940
 This learning area is designed to provide a general background on the
processes of photosynthesis. Autotrophs acquire light energy from the environment
and store it in the chemical bonds of glucose. Consumers obtain the stored energy
from glucose to power their reactions.
Content Standard
The learners demonstrate an understanding on the basic concepts of
photosynthesis.
Learning Competency
Explain the importance of chlorophyll and other pigments in the process of
photosynthesis
Describe the pattern of electron flow through light events reactions
Specific Learning Outcomes
At the end of the lesson, the learners will be able to:
 Describe the major features and chemical events in photosynthesis and
respiration
 Explain the importance of chlorophyll and other pigments-
STEM_BIO11/12-lla-j-3
 Describe the patterns of electron flow through light reactions events-
STEM_BIO11/12-lla-j-4
 Describe the significant events of the Calvin Cycle- STEM_BIO11/12-
lla-j-5

Directions. Answer the following questions. Choose the letter of the best answer.
1. What are the two products produced in the process of photosynthesis?
A. water and oxygen C. water and carbon dioxide
B. glucose and oxygen D. glucose and carbon dioxide
2. Which of the following components is not used by both plants and cyanobacteria
to carry out photosynthesis?
A. chloroplasts C. carbon dioxide
B. chlorophyll D. water
3. In which compartment of the plant cell do the light-independent reactions of
photosynthesis take place?
A. thylakoid C. outer membrane
B. stroma D. mesophyll
4. Where does the oxygen gas relased during pothosynthesis come from?
A. water C. pigments
B. sugar D. carbon dioxide
5. Which of the following statement is about thylakoids is not correct?
A. Thylakoids contains chlorophyll
B. Thylakoids are arranged in stacks
C. The space surrounding the thylakoids is called stroma
D. Thylakoids have an intricate maze of folded membranes
6. Plants are considered food makers. In which of the following cell organelles does
photosynthesis occur?

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 A. ribosome C. chloroplast
B. cholophyll D. mitochondrion
7. In photosynthesis, light energy is converted to
A. mechanical energy C. chemical energy
B. electrical energy D. thermal energy
8. A stack of thylakoid is called a _____________.
A. stroma C. granum
B. lumen D. pigment
9. The light- independent reaction is also known as:
A. glycolysis C. fermentation
B. cellular respiration D. Calvin cycle
10. The most plentiful protein on earth_________.
A. ATP C. NADPH
B. NADP D. RuBP

Photosynthesis is vital because it evolves as a way to store the energy

in solar radiation (the "photo-" part) as high- energy electrons in the carbon- carbon
bonds of carbohydrate molecules (the "synthesis-" part). These carbohydrates are the
energy source that heterotrophs use to power the synthesis of ATP via respiration.
Therefore, photosynthesis powers 99% of earth’s ecosystem.

Photosynthesis is fundamental to life. Its products, the sugars, supply most

forms of life with chemical energy and carbon skeletons for buliding of all organic
molecules. The sequence of reactions leads to the conversation of sunlight into
chemical energy is used to build an organic molecule (a sugar) from inorganic
molecules (carbon dioxide and water). The overall reaction is:

Photosynthesis is a mutli-step process that require sunlight, carbon dioxide

(which is low in energy), and water as substrate. After the process is complete, it
releases oxygen and produces glyceraldehyde- 3 phosphate (GA3P), simple
carbohydrates molecules (which are high in energy) that can be subsequently be
converted into glucose, sucrose, or any of dozens of other sugar molecules

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 In plants, photosynthesis generally takes place in leaves, which ocnsists of
several layers of cells. The process occurs in a middle layer called mesophyll. The
gas exchange of carbon and oxygen occurs through small, regulated opening called
stomata (singular: stoma) which also play a role in the regulation of gas exchange
and water balance. The stomata are typically located on the underside of the leaf,
which helps to minimize water loss. Each stoma is flanked by guard cells that
regulate the opening and closing of the stomata by swelling or shrinking in response
to osmotic changes.

Plants, algae and a group of bacteria callled cyaobacteria are the only
organisms capable of performing photosynthesis. The process of photosynthesis of
these organisms occurs within specialized organelles called chloroplasts. Because
they use light to manufacture their own food they are called photoautotrophs. For
plants, choloroplast- containing cells exist in the mesophyll. Chloroplast have a
double membrane envelope (composed of an outer and an inner membrane). Within
the chloroplast are stacked, disc-shaped structures called thylakoids. Embedded in
the thylakoid mebrane is chlorophyll, a pigment (molecule that absorbs light)
responsible for the initial reaction between light and plant material, and numerous
proteins that make up the electron transport chain. The thylakoid membrane
encloses an internal space called the thylakoid lumen. A stack of thylakoids is called
a granum, and the liquid- filled space surrounding the granum is called stroma or
“bed”.

Chlorophyll and Other Pigments

The dominating pigment present in plants is the chlorophyll. It has two types:
Chlorophyll A and Cholorophyll B. The colors of the spectrum absorbed by
chlorophyll A are the blue- violet and red ligth while cholorophyll B absorbs orange
and blue ligth. Another difference between the two is that chlorophyll A participates
directly in light reaction while cholorophyll B participates only inderectly.
Carotenoid is another pigment that indirectly participates in the light reaction
phase. It absrobs mainly blu-green light. It protects the chlorophyll by dissipating
excessive light energy. The spectacular colors of fall foliage are due partly to the
yellow – orange light reflected from carotenoids.

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THE LIGHT-DEPENDENT REACTIONS
The light-dependent reactions convert light energy to chemical energy. Light
energy is captured when it lifts an electron out of pigment. The excited electron,
holding the energy now as chemical energy, is captured by a special molecule called
a primary electron acceptor. It then passes to either (a) an electron transport chain,
where energy is transferred to ATP or (b) to the electron carrier, NADP+ (nicotinamide
adenine dinucleotide phosphate). This molecule ion is the same as the NAD+ in
cellualr respiration. NADP+ picks up two excited electrons and a proton to form
NADPH:
NADP+ + 2 electrons + 1 proton NADPH

THE PHOTOSYSTEMS
The photosytems are the working units of the molecules that partcipate the
light reactions. Each photosystem consists of (1) several hundred antenna pigments
(cholophylls) for gathering energy, (2) a reaction center which lifts electron out of
molevules, (3) and primary electron acceptor or the electron carrier.

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 Light abosrbed by the pigments of photosystem II lifts electron out of the
reaction center (P680) and into the primary electron acceptor. These excited electrons
are immediately replaced in the reaction center by electrons stripped from a water
molecule. From the primary electron accpetor, the excited electrons travel along an
electron transport chain, where their extra energy is released and used to build ATP.
The spent electron enter the reaction center (P700) of photosystem I where they
replace electrons that have been lifted, by the energy of sunlight out of the reaction
center and into the primary electron acceptor. The electrons move from the primary
electron acceptor to NADP+, which is converted to NADPH.
Two things are accomplished by the light dependent reactions:
1. the formation of ATP, which provides energy for building sugar, and
2. the formation of NADPH, which provide chemical energy, an electron and
hydrogen atom for building sugar. Moreover, some if the oxygen gas that
forms is used by the cell in cellular respiration. The rest diffuses out of the
cell into the surrounding environment, where it is available for use by
animals and other organisms.

THE LIGHT- INDEPENDENT REACTIONS

The light-independent reaction do not require energy light and takes place in
the stroma; they build sugar from carbon dioxide; using ATP and NADPH formed
during the light-dependent reaction. The biochemical pathway is known as the
Calvin Cycle. The pathway is a cycle in which the molecule that begins the pathway
– ribulose bisphosphate (RuBP)- becomes the end product that begins the same
pathway again.
The cycle begins when ribulose bisphosphate picks up carbon-dioxide to form
phosphoglyceric acid (PGA), (the enzyme that catalyzes this reaction, called RuBP
carboxylase, is the most plentiful protein on earth) which acquires energy and
hydrogen atoms from ATP, NADPH, and protons to form glyceraldehyde phosphate a
three- carbon sugar.

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 Three turns of a cycle combine three molecules of carbon dioxide with three
molecules of ribulose bisphosphate (RuBP), forming six molecules of phosphoglyceric
acid. The phosphoglyceric acid (PGA) molecules then combine with high energy
phosphate (from ATP), high- energy electrons and hydrogen atoms (from NADPH),
amd protons to form six molecules of glyceraldehydes phosphate. Five of these
molecules of ribulose phosphate stay within the cycle: they combine with more hihg-
energy phosphate to from three molecules of ribulose bisphosphate, which begins in
the next cycle. One molecule of glyceraldehydes phosphate is the product of the
Calvin cycle which is converted to into monomers. The monomers when taken in by
animals are used to as fuels (in cellular respiration) and building blocks of polymers.

Name My Pigment!

Materials:

Alcohol beaker
mortar and pestle 1 piece of chalk
2 pieces of green leaves sand

Procedure:
1. Get 2 pieces of leaves and clean them thoroughly.
2. Place the leaves in a mortar and pound with pestle along with grains
of sand.
3. Add enough alcohol to cover the mixture.
4. Continue pounding until enough pigments are extracted.
5. Decant the extract into beaker.
6. Dip a new piece of chalk into the extract and allow the extract to sip
into the chalk.
7. Observe the piec of chalk. How many bands of colors do you see in it?
(source: Ang-Bayo, R., Coronacion, M., L., Jorda, A., Restubog, A. (2016),
Earth and Life Science for Senior High School. Quezon City. Educational
Resources Corporation)

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1. Chlorophyll- a pigment (molecule that absorbs light) responsible for the
initial reaction between light and plant material, and numerous
proteins that make up the electron transport chain
2. Thylakoids- are stacked, disc-shaped structures with embedded
chlorophyll
3. Chlorophyll A- absorbed the blue- violet and red ligth, participate directly
in the light reaction
4. Chlorophyll B- absorbed the blue and orange light, participate indirectly in
the light reaction
5. Photosystem I- replace electrons that have been lifted, by the energy of
sunlight out of the reaction center and into the primary electron
acceptor.
6. Photosystem II- lifts electron out of the reaction center (P680) and into
the primary electron acceptor. These excited electrons are immediately
replaced in the reaction center by electrons stripped from a water
molecule.
7. RuBP- an enzyme that catalyzes formation of phosphoglyceric acid
(PGA),is the most plentiful protein on earth) which acquires energy and
hydrogen atoms from ATP, NADPH, and protons to form glyceraldehyde
phosphate a three- carbon sugar.

8. The Light- Dependent Reaction- convert light energy to chemical energy

9. The Ligt- Independent Reaction- do not require light energy, build sugar
from carbon dioxide

10. NADPH- nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) carrying

electrons and bonded with a hydrogen (H) ion; the reduced form of NADP.

1. Describe how light energy is converted to chemical energy during

photosynthesis.

2. What are the roles of ATP and NAPDH in photosynthesis?

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Directions. Answer the following questions. Choose the letter of the best answer.
1. Which of the following components is not used by both plants and
cyanobacteria to carry out photosynthesis?
A. carbon dioxide C. chloroplasts
B. chlorophyll D. water

2. What two main products result from photosynthesis?

A. oxygen and carbon dioxide
B. chlorophyll and oxygen
C. suga/carbohydrates and oxygen
D. sugars/carbohydrates and carbon dioxide

3. In which compartment of the plant cell do the ligh-independent

reactions of photosynthesis take place?
A. thylakoid C. outer membrane
B. stroma D. mesophyll

4. Which statement about thylakoids in eukaryotes is not correct?

A. Thylakoids are assembled into stacks
B. Thylakoids exist as a maze of folded membranes
C. The space surrounding thylakoids is called stroma
D. Thylakoids contain chlorophyll

5. Which of the following structures is not a component of a photosystem?

A. ATP synthase C. reaction center
B. antenna molecule D. primary electron acceptor
6. Plants, algae and a group of bacteria callled cyaobacteria are the only
organisms capable of performing photosynthesis. They use light to
manufacture their own food and they are called:
A. autotrophs C. photoautrophs
B. heterotrophs D. photoheterrpohs

7. In the light- independent reaction the chemical energy is used to build sugar
from:
A. carbon dioxide C. sunlight
B. oxygen D. water

8. The site of light dependent and light independent reaction of photosynthesis

is:
A. chloroplast and mitochondria respectively
B. cytoplasm and choloroplast respectively
C. thylakoid membrane and stroma respectively
D. grana and mitochondria respectively

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 9. How many CO₂ molecule is required to make one glucose molecule in Calvin
cycle?
A. 2 C. 6
B. 4 D. 8

10. From which component of the light- dependent reactions does NADPH form
most directly?
A. photosystem II C. ATP synthase
B. photosystem I D. cytochrome complex

ANSWER KEY

10. B
10. D
9. C
9. D
8. D
8. C
7. A
7. C
6. C
6. C
5. A
5. D
4. B
4. A
3. B
3. B
2. C
2. A
1. C
1. B
POST TEST
PRE-TEST

References:

Belardo, G., Avisar, Y., Choi, J., Desaix, J., Jurukoskovi, V., Wise, Rye, C., Rabago,
L. (2016). General Biology 1. Quezon City. Vibal Group, Inc.

Dela Pena, Jr., R., Gracilla, D., Panglinan, C. (2016). General Biology Combined Book
1 & 2. Pasay City. JFS Publishing House
Ang-Bayo, R., Coronacion, M., L., Jorda, A., Restubog, A. (2016). Earth and Life
Science for Senior High School. Quezon City. Educational Resources Corporation)

Florendo, P. (2017). Selected Topics in General Biology. Vigan City. University of

Northern Philippines Open University

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