Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Carbon on Earth naturally occurs in two stable isotopes, with 98.9% in the form of 12 C and 1.1% in 13 C. [1] [8] The ratio between these isotopes varies in biological organisms due to metabolic processes that selectively use one carbon isotope over the other, or "fractionate" carbon through kinetic or thermodynamic effects. [1]
The photosynthetic efficiency (i.e. oxygenic photosynthesis efficiency) is the fraction of light energy converted into chemical energy during photosynthesis in green plants and algae. Photosynthesis can be described by the simplified chemical reaction 6 H 2 O + 6 CO 2 + energy → C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6 O 2
Diagram showing the overall chemical equation. Electrons (e −) are transferred from the cathode to protons to form hydrogen gas. The half reaction, balanced with acid, is: 2 H + + 2e − → H 2. At the positively charged anode, an oxidation reaction occurs, generating oxygen gas and releasing electrons to the anode to complete the circuit:
This is one of two core processes in photosynthesis, and it occurs with astonishing efficiency (greater than 90%) because, in addition to direct excitation by light at 680 nm, the energy of light first harvested by antenna proteins at other wavelengths in the light-harvesting system is also transferred to these special chlorophyll molecules.
P680 + is the strongest biological oxidizing agent known, with an estimated redox potential of ~1.3 V. [3] This makes it possible to oxidize water during oxygenic photosynthesis. P680 + recovers its lost electron by oxidizing water via the oxygen-evolving complex , which regenerates P680.
Hill's finding was that the origin of oxygen in photosynthesis is water (H 2 O) not carbon dioxide (CO 2) as previously believed. Hill's observation of chloroplasts in dark conditions and in the absence of CO 2 , showed that the artificial electron acceptor was oxidized but not reduced, terminating the process, but without production of oxygen ...
The PI (or photosynthesis-irradiance) curve is a graphical representation of the empirical relationship between solar irradiance and photosynthesis. A derivation of the Michaelis–Menten curve, it shows the generally positive correlation between light intensity and photosynthetic rate. It is a plot of photosynthetic rate as a function of light ...
The light-harvesting complex (or antenna complex; LH or LHC) is an array of protein and chlorophyll molecules embedded in the thylakoid membrane of plants and cyanobacteria, which transfer light energy to one chlorophyll a molecule at the reaction center of a photosystem.