Understanding the Calvin Cycle: Converting Carbon Dioxide to Sugar

🌿The Calvin cycle is a crucial part of photosynthesis, responsible for converting carbon dioxide into sugar.

⚛️During carbon fixation, the enzyme Rubisco adds carbon dioxide to a five-carbon sugar, forming two three-carbon molecules.

⚡️The reduction reactions in the Calvin cycle utilize ATP and NADPH from the light reactions, resulting in glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate (g3p).

🔄Five out of every six g3p molecules produced are recycled to regenerate the initial five-carbon sugar, ribulose bisphosphate (rubp).

🌱The Calvin cycle is essential for the production of glucose, with six turns of the cycle necessary to produce a single molecule of glucose.

What is the Calvin cycle?

—The Calvin cycle, also known as the dark reaction or light-independent reaction, is a series of chemical reactions in photosynthesis that convert carbon dioxide into sugar.

Where does the Calvin cycle take place?

—The Calvin cycle takes place in the stroma, which is the fluid inside the chloroplast.

What is carbon fixation?

—Carbon fixation is the process by which carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is converted into organic molecules. In the Calvin cycle, the enzyme Rubisco adds carbon dioxide to a five-carbon sugar called ribulose bisphosphate (rubp).

What is the role of ATP and NADPH in the Calvin cycle?

—ATP and NADPH, which are produced in the light reactions of photosynthesis, provide the energy and reducing power needed for the reduction reactions in the Calvin cycle.

How many turns of the Calvin cycle are required to produce a molecule of glucose?

—Six turns of the Calvin cycle are required to produce a single molecule of glucose.

00:05The Calvin cycle is a fundamental process in photosynthesis that converts carbon dioxide into sugar.

00:28During carbon fixation, the enzyme Rubisco adds carbon dioxide to a five-carbon sugar, forming intermediate molecules.

01:01Reduction reactions utilizing ATP and NADPH result in the production of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate (g3p).

01:38Five out of every six g3p molecules are recycled to regenerate the initial sugar molecule.

01:44The Calvin cycle is necessary for the production of glucose, with six turns of the cycle required to produce one molecule of glucose.