BiologyPlant Biology12 minBeginner
Chloroplast and Photosynthesis Structures
Map the membranes, thylakoid stacks, stroma, and products that make chloroplasts the site of photosynthesis.
1
Light direction
Light energy enters the chloroplast and drives the light reactions.
Chloroplasts convert light energy into chemical energy. Their internal membrane system gives photosynthesis enough surface area for light absorption, electron transport, and ATP production.
The thylakoid membranes host the light reactions. The stroma hosts the Calvin cycle, where carbon dioxide is fixed into sugars using ATP and NADPH from the light reactions.
Key Idea
Structure separates the work: thylakoid membranes capture and convert light energy, while the stroma uses that energy to build carbohydrates.