Photosynthesis

Two Sets of Reactions

Interaction between light and matter

• Raises molecule to "excited state"

• Molecule can return to ground state by– Losing energy as heat– Losing energy as fluorescent light– Transferring the energy to another

molecule (resonance transfer)– Losing an excited electron (photooxidation)

Carbon Fixation

• The "light independent" reactions

• The Calvin cycle

6CO2 + 18ATP + 12NADPH + 10H2O glucose + 18ADP + 12NADP+ + 18 Pi