'Phun' with Photosynthesis Trivia Quiz

Answer: 6H2O + 6CO2 ---> C6H12O6+ 6O2

Photosynthesis is water + carbon dioxide ---> sugar [used as energy] + oxygen. 6O2 + C6H12O6 ---->6H20 + 6CO2 is cellular respiration (the opposite equation of photosynthesis) and the other two are the forward (3CO2+ 9ATP+ 6NADPH ---> PGAL +9ADP +6NADP) and backward (PGAL +9ADP +6NADP --->3CO2+ 9ATP+ 6NADPH) versions of the Calvin cycle.

Answer: Photosystem 2

Photosystem 2, or P680 (named for the wavelength it absorbs best) is the first photosystem in the light reactions. A photosystem contains an antenna complex of pigment molecules, a reaction-center chlorophyll a and a primary electron acceptor.

Answer: Thylakoid membrane

Inside chloroplasts (the organelles responsible for photosynthesis) are disc-shaped structures called thylakoids, and within these is where light reactions take place. A stack of thylakoids is called a granum; multiple stacks are called grana.

Answer: Stroma

Named for chemist Melvin Calvin, these reactions are also referred to as light-independent, or dark reactions. The Calvin cycle takes place in the liquid inside the chloroplast. It is fueled by the products of the light reactions.

Answer: Rubisco

Rubisco stands for 1,5 ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase. It fixes carbon into the Calvin cycle, but if there is a lack of CO2, then rubisco can also fix oxygen into the Calvin cycle. This is called photorespiration.

Answer: Both C4 and CAM plants

Plants without these adaptations have 3-carbon acids, while C4 plants have 4-carbon acids. This 4-carbon acid replaces C02 in the Calvin cycle. This prevents the enzyme rubisco from 'plugging in' oxygen to the Calvin cycle, and causing photorespiration. Crassulacean acidic metabolism, or CAM, plants are a special kind of C4 plant: they perform the Calvin cycle at night, and C4 plants perform it in the bundle sheath cell, unique to these plants. Sugarcane is a C4 plant, and pineapple is a CAM plant.

Answer: PEP carboxylase

PEP carboxylase's full name is phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase. High temperatures have little effect on activity levels of this enzyme, so it makes sense why C4 and CAM plants use it. The whole reason for their adaptation is to survive hot dry weather. Another advantage for C4 and CAM plants is that PEP carboxylase does not have an affinity for oxygen like rubisco does, so the Calvin cycle can always work.

NADP reductase reduces (adds electrons to) the molecule NADP to NADPH.

Answer: ATP Synthetase

This "backflow" of H+ from the thylakoid back into the stroma powers ATP production(phosphorylation of ADP), hence the name of the enzyme, ATP synthetase. This enzyme is also referred to as ATP synthetase. The ATP created, along with NADPH, then goes to the Calvin cycle.

Answer: 700 nm (red)

Red is one of the more readily absorbed wavelengths for green plants. Green light is virtually useless, because chlorophyll pigments do not absorb green light; they merely reflect it.

Answer: Violet

Violet is about 400 nm and while it is the shortest in wavelength, it is the highest in energy.