Biology 2601A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Photochemistry, Absorption Spectroscopy, Radiant Energy
3 Dec 2016
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Document Summary
Break down of molecules into simple ones energy is released => degradative processes. Build-up of simple molecules into complex ones energy is used up => biosynthetic process. Photosynthetic plants -> bring in photosynthate (carbon) Scale at which photosynthesis is occurring all the time. Photosynthesis pulls in 120 gigatons of carbon from the environment. Half of that is release back into environment through respiration (generates co2) Some of it is converted into plant biomass. Equal amounts are being pulled out and put into environment. Microbial decomposition is reservoir already in soil whereas photosynthesis pulling in. Lots of carbon turnover and lots become reservoir carbon is becoming biomass. Aquatic photosynthesis primarily algae pulling co2 out of air: reservoir carbon goes into deep ocean. Photosynthesis: the most important biological process on earth. Photosynthesis convert light energy into chemical energy. Capture of radiative energy and transforming it into chemical energy => photochemistry. Carbon assimilation relies on photochemistry has two reactions.
