Bootcamp Photosynthesis Study Guide
– Light Reactions, Calvin Cycle,
Chloroplast Structure & Energy
Conversion (Complete Review 2026)
_____ are organisms (like humans) that obtain chemical energy from the food
they eat
heterotrophs
_____ organisms are capable of making their own food
autotrophic
_____ (like plants) capture solar energy and convert it to chemical energy by
photosynthesis
photoautotrophs
_____ creates chemical energy which is passed up the food web to all organisms
photosynthesis
photosynthesis releases _____, which is crucial for aerobic cellular respiration
oxygen
photosynthesis reduces _____ from the atmosphere
carbon dioxide
photosynthesis uses _____ to make _____
photons (light energy); sugars (glucose)
_____ occurs when inorganic carbon is incorporated into an organic molecule
(like a sugar molecule)
carbon fixation
write the overall chemical equation for photosynthesis:
6CO₂ + 6H₂O → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂
The two stages of photosynthesis are the _________ and the ____________
light dependent reactions; Calvin cycle
light dependent reactions produce _____ and _____
ATP; NADPH
the Calvin cycle (or light independent reaction) uses energy stored in _____ and
_____
ATP; NADPH
photosynthesis stores solar energy in glucose chemical bonds - how do plants
then use that energy?
aerobic cellular respiration
photosynthesis has a positive Gibbs free energy (+ ΔG), so it is _____ and _____
non-spontaneous; endergonic
the overall reactions of aerobic cellular respiration and photosynthesis are
______
opposites
, solar energy is input to photosynthesis to convert 6 _____ & 6 _____ to 1 _____
and 6 _____
CO2; H2O; Glucose; O2
chemical energy is released as heat and ATP during aerobic cellular respiration,
where 1 _____ and 6 _____ convert to 6 _____ & 6 _____
glucose; O2; CO2; H2O
ATP from the light dependent reactions is not used to _____
power the cell
ATP from the light dependent reactions is consumed to power the _____, which
makes glucose
Calvin cycle
_____ tissue is the outer layer of cells - what is its function?
epidermis; it provides protection and prevents water loss
_____ mesophyll cells conduct most photosynthesis
palisade
palisade mesophyll cells contain many _____, and are well organized as a single
layer below the _____
chloroplasts; upper epidermis
spongy mesophyll cells conduct some photosynthesis, but not as much as the
_____ cells
palisade mesophyll
spongy mesophyll cells have few _____
chloroplasts
spongy mesophyll cells are found toward the _____
bottom of the leaf
gaps between spongy mesophyll cells facilitate the movement of _____
gases
stomata are pores mainly found in the _____ of leaves and they are the site of
_____
bottoms; atmospheric gas exchange
_____ surround stomata, and they control whether the stomata are open or
closed
guard cells
_____ are dual membrane organelles found in plants and photosynthetic algae
chloroplasts
organisms with chloroplasts for photosynthesis will have _____ for cellular
respiration too
mitochondria
chloroplasts contain thylakoids, where _____ occur
light dependent reactions
both stages of photosynthesis occur within _____
chloroplasts
_____ are photosynthetic organisms that do not have a chloroplast
cyanobacteria
the _____ is the fluid material that fills area inside the inner membrane of a
chloroplast
– Light Reactions, Calvin Cycle,
Chloroplast Structure & Energy
Conversion (Complete Review 2026)
_____ are organisms (like humans) that obtain chemical energy from the food
they eat
heterotrophs
_____ organisms are capable of making their own food
autotrophic
_____ (like plants) capture solar energy and convert it to chemical energy by
photosynthesis
photoautotrophs
_____ creates chemical energy which is passed up the food web to all organisms
photosynthesis
photosynthesis releases _____, which is crucial for aerobic cellular respiration
oxygen
photosynthesis reduces _____ from the atmosphere
carbon dioxide
photosynthesis uses _____ to make _____
photons (light energy); sugars (glucose)
_____ occurs when inorganic carbon is incorporated into an organic molecule
(like a sugar molecule)
carbon fixation
write the overall chemical equation for photosynthesis:
6CO₂ + 6H₂O → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂
The two stages of photosynthesis are the _________ and the ____________
light dependent reactions; Calvin cycle
light dependent reactions produce _____ and _____
ATP; NADPH
the Calvin cycle (or light independent reaction) uses energy stored in _____ and
_____
ATP; NADPH
photosynthesis stores solar energy in glucose chemical bonds - how do plants
then use that energy?
aerobic cellular respiration
photosynthesis has a positive Gibbs free energy (+ ΔG), so it is _____ and _____
non-spontaneous; endergonic
the overall reactions of aerobic cellular respiration and photosynthesis are
______
opposites
, solar energy is input to photosynthesis to convert 6 _____ & 6 _____ to 1 _____
and 6 _____
CO2; H2O; Glucose; O2
chemical energy is released as heat and ATP during aerobic cellular respiration,
where 1 _____ and 6 _____ convert to 6 _____ & 6 _____
glucose; O2; CO2; H2O
ATP from the light dependent reactions is not used to _____
power the cell
ATP from the light dependent reactions is consumed to power the _____, which
makes glucose
Calvin cycle
_____ tissue is the outer layer of cells - what is its function?
epidermis; it provides protection and prevents water loss
_____ mesophyll cells conduct most photosynthesis
palisade
palisade mesophyll cells contain many _____, and are well organized as a single
layer below the _____
chloroplasts; upper epidermis
spongy mesophyll cells conduct some photosynthesis, but not as much as the
_____ cells
palisade mesophyll
spongy mesophyll cells have few _____
chloroplasts
spongy mesophyll cells are found toward the _____
bottom of the leaf
gaps between spongy mesophyll cells facilitate the movement of _____
gases
stomata are pores mainly found in the _____ of leaves and they are the site of
_____
bottoms; atmospheric gas exchange
_____ surround stomata, and they control whether the stomata are open or
closed
guard cells
_____ are dual membrane organelles found in plants and photosynthetic algae
chloroplasts
organisms with chloroplasts for photosynthesis will have _____ for cellular
respiration too
mitochondria
chloroplasts contain thylakoids, where _____ occur
light dependent reactions
both stages of photosynthesis occur within _____
chloroplasts
_____ are photosynthetic organisms that do not have a chloroplast
cyanobacteria
the _____ is the fluid material that fills area inside the inner membrane of a
chloroplast
