5 Steps to a 5 AP Biology, 2014-2015 Edition

74 ❯ STEP 4. Review the Knowledge You Need to Score High

the light-dependent reactions and the light-independent reactions, commonly called the

“dark reactions.” The simplified equation of photosynthesis is

H 2 O+CO 2 +light→O 2 +glucose+H 2 O

The Players in Photosynthesis

The host organelle for photosynthesis is the chloroplast,which is divided into an inner

and outer portion. The inner fluid portion is called the stroma,which is surrounded by

two outer membranes. In Figure 8.1, you can see that winding through the stroma is an

inner membrane called the thylakoid membrane system.This is where the first stage of

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Figure 8.1 An overall view of photosynthesis. (FromBiology, 8th ed., by Sylvia S. Mader, © 1985, 1987,

1990, 1993, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2004 by the McGraw Hill Companies, Inc. Reproduced with permission of The

McGraw-Hill Companies.)

KEY IDEA