Photosynthesis may seem like an easy topic, based on what you learned in middle school. But, as we go a little deeper into the processes of how Plants chemically create glucose from a gas, a liquid, and sunlight we find that it is a whole lot more interesting and complicated. Below is a graphic organizer to show the parts of the chloroplast, the reactants, the products, and the important molecules involved in both the Light & Dark Reactions.

Light Reaction

• Light & Water enter the Thylakoid (or granum)
• Oxygen is released as a byproduct
• In the process, NADPH and ATP are charged and carry energy to the Dark Reactions.

Dark Reactions

• The ATP and NADPH, combined with Carbon Dioxide, create Glucose.
• The leftover NADP+ and ADP go back to the light reaction.

Once you think you’ve Mastered all there is to know about Photosynthesis, try your hand at this game: Photosynthesis Master. Open the document in Powerpoint or Keynote, start the presentation, then click on the boxes with the correct answers to the questions. See if you can make it all the way through without a wrong answer… if you can you will be the Photosynthesis Master!