Agronomy and Horticulture Department
Plant Pigments and Photosynthesis
Date of this Version
2003
Document Type
Article
Citation
Plant and Soil Sciences eLibrary (PASSeL) Lesson
This manuscript has been assigned Journal Series No. 03-9, College of Agricultural Sciences and natural Resources, University of Nebraska
Abstract
Overview
This lesson will examine the two major classes of phototsynthetic pigments, chlorophylls and carotenoids, their biochemical structures, and their biosynthesis. The organization of these pigments into photosynthetic pigments, which are protein complexes that harvest light and convert its energy into biochemical energy, will be explained.
Objectives
At the completion of this lesson, students will be able to:
- Understand the importance of conjugated double-bond systems in pigments.
- Relate the first and second excited singlet states to a pigment’s absorption spectrum.
- Understand photophosphorylation as the coupling of photochemistry to photosynthetic electron transfer.
- Describe the photosynthetic apparatus in terms of two photosystems.
- Understand that CO2 fixation relies upon the ATP and NADPH produced by photophosphorylation.
Modules:
- Lesson home
- Introduction for Plant Pigments and Photosynthesis
- Photosynthetic Pigments
- Chlorophylls
- Carotenoids
- Organization of the Photosynthetic Apparatus
- Photosynthesis
- Two Photosystems
- Photosynthetic Energy is Coupled to Metabolism
- Summary for Plant Pigments and Photosynthesis
- References for Plant Pigments and Photosynthesis
- Glossary
- Videos
COinS
Comments
Copyright © 2003 John Markwell and Deana Namuth. Used by permission.
Peer reviewed web lesson JNRLSE approved 2003
This project was supported in part by the National Research Initiative Competitive Grants CAP project 2011-68002-30029 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, administered by the University of California-Davis and by the National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Undergraduate Education, National SMETE Digital Library Program, Award #0938034, administered by the University of Nebraska. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the USDA or NSF.
Development of this lesson was supported in part by Cooperative State Research, Education, & Extension Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture under Agreement Number 98-EATP-1-0403 administered by Cornell University and the American Distance Education Consortium (ADEC). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.