AP Biology Questions on the Calvin Cycle and Photosynthesis

📚 Quick Study Guide

• ☀️ Photosynthesis Overview: The process by which plants and other organisms convert light energy into chemical energy.
• 🌱 Two Main Stages: Light-dependent reactions and the Calvin cycle (light-independent reactions).
• 💧 Light-Dependent Reactions: Occur in the thylakoid membranes; water is split, releasing oxygen, ATP, and NADPH.
• 💡 Calvin Cycle: Occurs in the stroma; carbon dioxide is fixed, reduced, and carbohydrate molecules are produced using ATP and NADPH.
• ⚛️ Carbon Fixation: $CO_2$ is incorporated into organic molecules.
• 🔄 Reduction: ATP and NADPH are used to reduce the fixed carbon.
• 🧪 Regeneration: The initial $CO_2$ acceptor molecule ($RuBP$) is regenerated to continue the cycle.
• ⚡ Key Inputs: $CO_2$, $ATP$, $NADPH$.
• 🍬 Key Output: Glucose (sugar).
• 📝 Overall Equation: $6CO_2 + 6H_2O + Light Energy \rightarrow C_6H_{12}O_6 + 6O_2$

🧪 Practice Quiz

1. Which of the following is NOT a product of the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis?
   1. ATP
   2. NADPH
   3. Oxygen
   4. Glucose
2. Where does the Calvin cycle take place?
   1. Thylakoid membrane
   2. Stroma
   3. Outer membrane of the chloroplast
   4. Cristae
3. What is the primary function of the Calvin cycle?
   1. To produce ATP
   2. To split water
   3. To fix carbon dioxide into sugars
   4. To absorb light energy
4. Which enzyme is responsible for carbon fixation in the Calvin cycle?
   1. ATP synthase
   2. Rubisco
   3. DNA polymerase
   4. Amylase
5. What is regenerated in the regeneration phase of the Calvin cycle?
   1. ATP
   2. NADPH
   3. RuBP
   4. Glucose
6. What are the inputs required for the Calvin cycle?
   1. $CO_2$, $H_2O$, and light
   2. $CO_2$, ATP, and NADPH
   3. Oxygen, ATP, and NADPH
   4. Glucose, ATP, and NADPH
7. What is the initial carbon fixation product in the Calvin Cycle?
   1. RuBP
   2. 3-PGA
   3. G3P
   4. Glucose