“Could you explain this to someone else ? ” Photosynthesis and Respiration - Revision and understanding through self explanation

Recent research shows the effectiveness of self explanation

Try using these cards with a partner to revise respiration and photosynthesis

Print onto card. Cut out, place face down in a pack.

Pick up a card

Explain the concept with a whiteboard or paper.

Use all of the words on each card.

Then look up the concept in a textbook and correct your mistakes.

Work your way through the pack.

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Photosynthesis Tips - Notes, videos, powerpoints and a pack of long questions

Powerpoints and notes, a pack of long data analysis exam questions and a test on photosynthesis

Tips for Photosynthesis

LDR - occurs on the thylakoid membranes. Limiting factor is light intensity

  • Phosphorylates ADP (through chemiosmosis) - creates the Hydrogen ion gradient by the flow of electrons along the ETC in the thylakoid membrane. The flow of electrons is driven by the capturing of light by a range of different pigments which channel the energy to a chl a molecule at the reaction centre of the photosystem - which then loses an electron.

  • Reduces NADP with an electron from splitting water (photolysis) at PSII.

Light Independent Reaction (reduction of carbon dioxide) - occurs in the stroma (the cytoplasm of the chloroplast).

  • Limited by speed and quantity of RUBISCO enzyme (kinetic energy - temperature) and substrate concentration (Carbon dioxide)

  • Needs the products of the LDR - ATP and NADPH

  • NADPH and ATP are used to regenerate RUBP

  • Each time the Calvin cycle turns, a single Carbon is reduced. 3 turns - one extra Triose Phosphate. 6 turns - 2 extra TP = 1 extra glucose.

  • TP is the source of all of the carbon in all plants (and hence in all heterotrophes) - Amino acids, DNA, RNA, phospholipids etc

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Respiration Photosynthesis and AS knowledge - a terrific synoptic A-level Biology question

One from the OCR Unifying concepts paper, combines respiration and photosynthesis.

(a) think photolysis and Oxygen accepting electrons ...

(b) is about phosphorylation and diffusion gradients

(c) is about the nature of passive transport and using proteins

(d) is about endosymbionts and prokaryotes

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