BIO-8 Lecture Notes - Lecture 30: Chlorophyll, Leaf, Pyruvic Acid
Document Summary
Electromagnetic radiation - the energy from the sun, is packaged in small particles like units called photons. The energy of photons is related positively to their frequency and inversely to their wavelength; the highest energy photons have the highest frequency and the shortest wavelengths. Between the two extremes of infrared and ultraviolet radiation are wavelengths collectively known as visible light - visible to the human eye. The visible portion of the spectrum includes photosynthetically active region - consists of wavelengths of light that are suitable for photosynthesis. Plants, algae, and some bacteria absorb these wavelengths and assimilate their energy by photosynthesis. Chloroplasts - specialized cell organelles in eukaryotic photosynthetic organisms. Chloroplasts contain stacks of membranes known as thylakoids and a fluid-filled space surrounding the thylakoids called the stroma. Embedded within the thylakoid membranes are several kinds of pigments that absorb solar radiation, including chlorophylls and carotenoids.
