What is the main function of the light reactions in photosynthesis?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
What is the main function of the light reactions in photosynthesis?
To produce glucose
To convert light energy into chemical energy
To release carbon dioxide
To absorb water
The main function of the light reactions is to convert light energy into chemical energy in the form of ATP and NADPH.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
1 item
Q
Q: What is the main function of the light reactions in photosynthesis?
Solution: The main function of the light reactions is to convert light energy into chemical energy in the form of ATP and NADPH.
Steps: 6
Step 1: Understand that photosynthesis happens in plants and involves two main stages: light reactions and dark reactions.
Step 2: Know that light reactions occur in the thylakoid membranes of chloroplasts when sunlight hits the plant.
Step 3: Realize that during light reactions, sunlight is captured by chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants.
Step 4: Learn that this captured light energy is used to split water molecules (H2O) into oxygen (O2) and hydrogen (H+).
Step 5: Understand that the energy from the sunlight is then converted into chemical energy, specifically in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and NADPH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate).
Step 6: Conclude that the main function of the light reactions is to produce ATP and NADPH, which are used in the next stage of photosynthesis (the dark reactions) to help make glucose.
