The Stages of Photosynthesis
What are the stages of Photosynthesis? The process of photosynthesis is broken down into two major stages: light-dependent reactions and light-independent reactions. Photosynthesis starts with the light reactions which happen during the day as this step requires a source of light energy since the process cannot take place without it. The light-dependent reactions take place in the thylakoid membrane of chloroplasts. The chlorophyll absorbs the light energy which is converted into chemical energy in the form of two compounds: ATP (Adenosine tri-phosphate) and NADPH (Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate). ATP is an energy storage molecule and NADPH is a reduced electron carrier. Water molecules are also converted to oxygen gas. Photosynthesis produces oxygen as a waste product. It is released into the atmosphere through the stomata. The light-independent stage takes place in the stroma. It is found between the thylakoid and the chloroplast membranes. This stage re...
