Module 5

Module Title: Energy Transformation 1

Nominal Duration: 8

This unit covers the knowledge, skills and attitudes required in understanding
the ATP-ADP Cycle and Photosynthesis.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon completion of this module, you MUST be able to:
1. explain coupled reaction processes and describe the role of ATP
in energy coupling and transfer
2. describe the major features and chemical events in
photosynthesis and respiration
3. explain the importance of chlorophyll and other pigments
4. describe the patterns of electron flow through light reaction
events
5. describe the significant events of the Calvin cycle

General Biology 1: Energy Transformation 1

Some Energy Molecules/ Biological Molecules

 NAD+
 NADP+
 GTP
 ATP

ATP and its Nature

 The energy currency of life
 It is a nucleoside triphosphate
 It is often used as a co-factor for all enzymes
 At the molecular level, the addition or reduction of phosphate groups from ATP
will activate or deactivate other molecules.
 Its role in the life processes is highly significant.

ATP-ADP Cycle
 “A single molecule of ATP
contains ten carbon atoms, sixteen
hydrogen, five nitrogen, thirteen
oxygen and three phosphorus
atoms” (Reyment, 2016)
 The energy is stores in the
phosphate group particularly in the
last two P atoms.
 A family of enzymes called ATPase
can cleave the last phosphate
group from the molecule.
 The action of phosphate removal
leads to the formation of ADP or
adenosine diphosphate.
 The cleaving of one phosphate
atom from the ATP results to a releae
of energy used by the cell to
 metabolize (synthesize or degrade molecules), to move and to relay signals
among molecules.
 Sugar consumed by the body provides energy that will help the cycle of ADP to
ATP.
 Reattaching phosphate to ADP to produce ATP uses up some of this energy.
 The cycle of cleaving and reattaching the bond repeatedly occurs to sustain the
physiological process of organisms.

Metabolism
 It refers to the processes involving diverse chemical reactions needed to maintain
life processes.
 The removal and re-addition of phosphate to the ATP-ADP cycle are actually
metabolism.
 In the ATP-ADP cycle, metabolism has two phases:
o Catabolism – where molecules are broken down into more simple (e.g.,
glycolysis)
o Anabolism – where there is a synthesis of molecules from simple to complex
(e.g., protein synthesis)

Energy
 Another requirement to sustain the life processes of an organism is the ability to
acquire energy.
 Not all molecules are suitable for conversion by living systems into energy.

Autotrophs
 Organisms that can make their own food

Heterotrophs
 Organisms that cannot make their own food

Photosynthesis
 “Photosynthesis is the process of storage of
solar energy carried out by plants and bacteria”
(Taiz and Zeiger, 1991)
 The event of synthesis using light takes place in
the thylakoid membranes of the chloroplast.
 The process starts with the absorption of light
by the antenna pigment.
 The chlorophyll-protein complex called
reaction center absorbs the photon (basic unit of
light)
  The reaction center initiates the oxidation-reduction reaction series that
captures energy required to form the chemical bond.
 The chemical equation for photosynthesis involves carbon dioxide (from the
stroma) and water (from the root).
 Carbon dioxide and water are the starting materials to produce
carbohydrates/sugar (stored source of energy).
 Carbohydrates are composed of C, O and H, which are the elements that
present in the raw materials (reactants).
 The reduction and oxidation processes lead to the synthesis of carbohydrates
and O2, an essential byproduct.

Chlorophyll and Other Pigments

 It is the dominating pigment present in plants.
 Sunlight as the main source of light used by the plant for photosynthesis may
emit different radiations of varying wavelengths.
 Every light color gives different energy level to the photosystem.
 Plants absorb the different spectrum of light using photosynthetic pigments.
 Two Types of Chlorophyll:
o Chlorophyll A
 The colors of the spectrum that it absorbs are the blue-violet and
red light.
 It participates directly in the light reaction.
o Chlorophyll B
 The colors of the spectrum that it absorbs are the orange and blue
light.
 It participates only indirectly in the light reaction.
 Carotenoid
o It is another pigment that indirectly participates in the light reaction.
o It absorbs mainly blue-green light.
o It protects the chlorophyll by dissipating excessive light energy.
o The spectacular colors of fall foliage are due partly to the yellow-orange
light directly from carotenoids.

Analysis of Pigments Using Chromatography

 The analysis of plant pigments uses
paper or thin layer chromatography
 In the separation of pigment colors uses
solvents such as ether and acetone.
Leaf Pigments: Their color on paper chromatography and solvent solubility

PIGMENT COLOR IN A SOLUBILITY IN ACETONE OR

CHROMATOGRAPHIC PAPER ETHER

Chlorophyll A Bright green to blue-green Medium

Chlorophyll B Yellow-green to Olive green Medium-low

Xanthophyll Dull yellow High

Carotene Bright yellow orange Medium high

Light Reaction and Electron Flow

Dark Reaction Calvin Benison Cycle
 Photosynthesis takes place in two steps:
o Light Reaction
 The light reaction requires light.
 It occurs in the internal membrane of the chloroplast called
thylakoids.
 The light reactions produce high-energy compounds such as
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) and NADPH
 In the chloroplast, two functional photosystems harvest the light
energy.
 The light absorbed activates electron transfer between series of
compounds that act as electron acceptors or donors.
 This process reduces the electron acceptor NADPH+ to NADPH.
 The light gained is used to generate a proton motive force across
the thylakoid membrane.
 The proton gradient is used to synthesize ATP.
o Dark Reaction
 It does not require light.
 It takes place in the stroma of the chloroplast, an aqueous region
surrounding the thylakoids.
 It uses the products of light such as ATP as energy and NADPH as a
source of the electron for fixing carbon dioxide into
carbohydrates.

__________________________________End of Module 5___________________________________

 Activity 5

General Biology 1: Energy Transformation 1

ESSAY
1. What is a coupled reaction? What are some examples of coupled reactions? Cite
at least three. (15 points)
2. Is the ADP-ATP cycle a couple reaction? (5 points)
3. How does ATP provide energy to biochemical process that need it? (10 points)
4. What happens to ATP once energy it contains is provided to power a chemical
reaction? (10 points)