Arizona State University (ASU) BIO181 General Biology I Exam 2 Practice

During photosynthesis, carbon dioxide is converted into glucose through a series of chemical reactions that occur primarily in the chloroplasts of plant cells. This process starts with the light-dependent reactions, where sunlight is absorbed by chlorophyll and used to generate energy-rich molecules like ATP and NADPH. The energy from these molecules is then used in the light-independent reactions, also known as the Calvin cycle.

In the Calvin cycle, carbon dioxide from the atmosphere enters the plant and undergoes a series of transformations. It is combined with a five-carbon sugar called ribulose bisphosphate (RuBP) and, through enzymatic reactions involving ATP and NADPH, is ultimately transformed into glucose, which serves as an essential energy source for the plant and can also be converted into other carbohydrates for energy storage and structural purposes.

Oxygen, while produced as a byproduct of photosynthesis, is not the direct product of carbon dioxide conversion; instead, it comes from the splitting of water molecules during the light-dependent reactions. Water is also not the product of carbon dioxide in this context but is essential for the entire process. ATP, on the other hand, is an energy carrier generated during photosynthesis but is not a product of the conversion of carbon dioxide. Thus, glucose is