231k views
1 vote
What does an electron acceptor pass an electron to photosystem 1?

2 Answers

4 votes

Final answer:

The electron acceptor in photosystem II passes an electron to photosystem I as part of the chloroplast electron transport chain, which is crucial for the synthesis of ATP and NADPH during photosynthesis.

Step-by-step explanation:

An electron acceptor in photosystem II (PSII) passes an electron to photosystem I (PSI) as a part of the chloroplast electron transport chain (ETC). First, photons hit PSII causing pigments to pass the light energy to chlorophyll a molecules that excite an electron. This excited electron is then passed to the ETC and transported to PSI. The initial source of electrons for the ETC comes from the splitting of water in PSII, which also produces oxygen as a waste product.

Within PSI, the electron received from the ETC is used to reduce NADP+ to NADPH, which will be utilized in the Calvin cycle to aid in the production of glucose. This entire process also contributes to the creation of an electrochemical gradient across the thylakoid membrane. Protons are pumped into the thylakoid lumen, contributing to a high pH in the stroma and a low pH in the lumen, which ATP synthase uses to generate ATP. Therefore, the electron acceptor of PSII donates the electron to PSI in order to continue the flow of electrons needed for the synthesis of ATP and NADPH during the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis.

User Fatimah
by
7.3k points
7 votes

Final answer:

The electrons initially sourced from water are excited by Photosystem II and passed through an electron transport chain, eventually reaching Photosystem I. Here, they reduce NADP+ to NADPH, while also contributing to the generation of ATP by creating an electrochemical gradient utilized by ATP synthase.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Path of Electrons in Photosynthesis

During photosynthesis, the initial source of electrons comes from the splitting of water (H2O) in Photosystem II (PSII). These electrons are excited by light energy and then travel through the chloroplast electron transport chain (ETC) to Photosystem I (PSI). Eventually, the electrons are used to reduce NADP+ to NADPH, which is an essential molecule for the Calvin cycle to synthesize glucose. Along this pathway, the ETC pumps protons across the thylakoid membrane, generating an electrochemical gradient that ATP synthase utilizes to produce ATP.

Before reaching PSI, the ETC includes a cytochrome complex that transfers electrons from PSII to PSI, while simultanenously pumping protons across the thylakoid membrane into the lumen. This contributes to the creation of the electrochemical gradient for ATP synthesis.

At Photosystem I, the excited electrons are passed to an electron acceptor, which then passes these electrons down a short ETC to eventually reduce NADP+ to NADPH. This process is crucial for the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis, which provide the energy and reducing power for the Calvin cycle.

User Knitti
by
8.6k points