Journey of a Carbon Atom
Storyboard Text
- 2.06 Introduction to Photosynthesis Assignment
- A Carbon Molecule in The Air
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- Hey guys! I am a carbon atom, and I currently am covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms to form a C02 molecule. Soon, I will be used by a plant to perform photosynthesis.
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- What Comes First
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- Hey! Wait! Not so fast! As a carbon dioxide molecule, I am used during the light-independent reactions of photosynthesis, which comes before the light-dependent phase. Let me show you how plants use the sun to harness solar energy to eventually turn me into glucose!
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- The Beginning of Light-Dependent Reactions
- Pumping Hydrogen Ions
- Diffusion and ADP to ATP
- Milana Mudra February 28, 2016 Biology
- Hydrogen Ions and Electrons form NADPH
- Photosynthesis is a process in which plants absorb solar energy from the sun and use it to convert water and carbon dioxide into oxygen gas and carbohydrates such as glucose. Photosynthesis takes place in the chloroplasts of plant cells. During this process, both light dependent and light independent reactions take place.
- Splitting Water for Future Reactions
- It is important to note that the product of light-dependent reactions is oxygen and ATP. The ATP created during these reactions is used for the next phase of photosynthesis: light-independent reactions.
- Light-Independent Reactions Begin
- Oh yay! This is where I come in! WOAHHHHHH I can feel myself being absorbed by a plant to perform the light-independent reactions of photosynthesis.
- The chlorophyll molecules absorb sunlight, and in doing so, release high energy electrons. These electrons move through the electron transport chains. The chains are located within the thylakoid membrane. The light-dependent reactions take place in the thylakoids, which are in the chloroplast of a plant cell.
- Breaking Down the CO2
- I'm back! If you follow these blue circular arrows, you can see how I turn into glucose and other compounds. Allow me to explain the process.
- Using energy from the electrons, the proteins in the electron transport chain obtain hydrogen ions from the surrounding stroma, and pump it into the thylakoid space. The hydrogen ions begin to build up in the thylakoid space.
- Glucose and Other Compounds are Created
- Diffusion causes the hydrogen ions to travel through a protein channel known as the ATP synthase, to get back to the stroma. As the hydrogen ions pass through the ATP synthase, they bond to an ADP molecule to form ATP
- Carbon in a Glucose Molecule (NOT DRAWN TO SCALE)
- Down here! It's me, the carbon atom, but now I'm part of a six-carbon molecule of glucose, so I have plenty of friends just like me!
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- After traveling through the electron transport chain, the high energy electrons that were released by the chlorophylls at the beginning of photosynthesis, and some hydrogen ions are stored as NADPH. The NADPH brings the high energy electrons to the next stage of photosynthesis.
- A water splitting enzyme removes electrons from water and supplies them to the chlorophyll to be used for future reactions. To do this, the water is split into hydrogen ions and oxygen. The hydrogen ions are used for more light-dependent reactions, and the oxygen is released as a byproduct of photosynthesis.
- The light-independent reactions use the ATP and NADPH as an energy source to convert carbon dioxide into glucose and other carbohydrates, which are good for long term energy storage. For every six carbon molecules that enter the cycle, 12 three-carbon molecules are produced.
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- The CO2 molecules experience a cycle of reactions where they are broken down. During this cycle, some of the atoms bonded to the carbon are removed. The resulting molecule still has a three carbon chain, but some of the other atoms are changed. NADPH and ATP from the light-dependent reactions are used to perform these reactions. Therefore, light is not necessary for the light-independent reactions.
- 12 three-carbon molecules are created as a result of the previous process. Ten of the three-carbon molecules continue on through the cycle, but two are left behind to bond and form an organic, six-carbon molecule, such as glucose.
- The carbon atom has gone from a CO2 molecule in the air, to a carbon atom of a glucose molecule. After cellular respiration, the carbon atom will once again be released into the atmosphere as part of a CO2 molecule. Cellular respiration is the process where plants use oxygen to break down organic molecules and harvest their chemical energy. All organisms carry out some form of respiration.
- In just a few moments, I will undergo cellular respiration.
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- Glycolysis (Phase 1 of Cellular Respiration)
- Krebs Cycle
- Carbon Atom Released as CO2
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- That's it! After my long journey, I've finished where I began: part of a CO2 molecule in the atmosphere! I'm extremely important to plants for both photosynthesis and cellular respiration, considering the two cycles are connected! It feels like this tree here needs me to perform light-dependent reactions, so I guess I'll see you around!
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- Summary
- In summary: -carbon is used during the light-independent reactions of photosynthesis, where it is turned into glucose. -after being turned to glucose, the carbon atom is broken down during glycolysis, a phase of cellular respiration. Here, the glucose is broken down and the carbon is transferred to a pyruvate molecule. -finally, the Krebs Cycle breaks down the pyruvate molecule, and the carbon is released as a single CO2 molecule back into the atmosphere
- References For Images
- - The Glucose Molecule. (n.d.). Retrieved March 01, 2016, from http://imgforu.com/?q=39 -Biology Science Textbook - Environmental News. (n.d.). Retrieved March 01, 2016, from http://www.earthtimes.org/
- I hope you enjoyed my comic strip!
- THE END!
- THE END
- Within the cytoplasm of a cell, the six-carbon glucose molecule is broken down into three-carbon pyruvate molecules. The pyruvate are then taken to the cells mitochondrion to be used during the Krebs Cycle. ATP is used to perform glycolysis.
- At the beginning of the Krebs Cycle the pyruvate molecule is broken down into a two-carbon molecule, and in the process releases one CO2 molecule and forms one NADH molecule.
- The carbon atom ends where it began.
- The Krebs Cycle and Glycolysis are both part of cellular respiration
- References for all the premade images used in the comic strip
- That's a wrap!
Image Attributions
- Leaf - Tony Austin - (License Attribution )
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