Wonder Where does Photosynthesis Take Place? Photosynthesis is an internal process that converts light energy into food, that occurs in the cells of plants, algae, and some bacteria. All of these have specialized structures that conduct a chemical reaction which is necessary to transform sunlight into the chemical energy that plants use as food.
In this process, they are using carbon dioxide and energy that come from the sun to produce a sugar molecule and oxygen as a by-product. But where does photosynthesis take place?
In this article, we are going to discuss where does photosynthesis take place in all photosynthetic organisms? And what are the specialized structures that conduct photosynthesis?
Chloroplasts in Green Plant Cells
Photosynthesis is taking place in the chloroplast in all plants including aquatic plants and algae however cyanobacteria do not have a chloroplast. In cyanobacteria, photosynthesis takes place in the cell membrane.
Chloroplasts are the small photosynthesis factories that are located in the plant leaves, and small amounts in the stems and roots.
These organelles are surrounded by a double outer membrane and contained a third inner membrane known as thylakoid membrane that looks like stacks of coins, although the compartments they form are connected like a maze of chambers.
Thylakoid membranes contain chlorophyll a green pigment secreted in the chloroplast membranes. Chlorophyll absorbs a wide range of the spectrum of sunlight, giving the plant as much energy as it can for its reactions.
The primary section of the light spectrum that chlorophyll doesn’t absorb is green, which explains why leaves usually appear as a shade of green.
These green chloroplasts reside on the leaf’s interior. The epidermis, or the surface of the leaf protects the processes occurring beneath.
Where Does Photosynthesis Take Place in Plants?
As we discussed above photosynthesis in the plant cell takes place in the chloroplast, which are specialized organelles that contain the pigment that is necessary for photosynthesis to occur.
Chlorophyll pigment plays an important role in photosynthesis since it has the ability to absorb a wide range of sunlight, giving the plant as much energy as it can for its reactions.
In the plant cell, Photosynthesis primarily takes place in the leaves. Photosynthesis takes place inside the chloroplasts that sit in the mesophyll of the leaves. The thylakoids sit inside the chloroplast and they contain chlorophyll which absorbs the different colors of the light spectrum to create energy
While the majority of photosynthesis occurs in the leaves, a smaller amount can also take place in the other parts of the plant, such as fruits and green stems, which can also contribute to the process.
Where Does Photosynthesis Take Place In Prokaryotes?
Photosynthesis in prokaryotes takes place in the infoldings of the plasma membrane or cell membrane. However, only certain types of prokaryotes have the ability to conduct photosynthesis like cyanobacteria, green sulfur bacteria, purple bacteria, and green non-sulfur bacteria.
Unlike eukaryotes, prokaryotes do not have membrane-bound organelles like chloroplasts, even though there are certain groups of prokaryotes, such as cyanobacteria and some photosynthetic bacteria that have specialized structures called chromatophores or thylakoids.
where does photosynthesis take place in cyanobacteria
Photosynthesis in cyanobacteria takes place in internal membranes called thylakoids. These thylakoids are separate compartments from the plasma membrane, and the photosynthetic machinery is embedded in them.
Cyanobacteria is considered a remarkable organism because it hypothetically shaped the course of life on Earth. Cyanobacteria are also called blue-green algae, and it Is also one of the oldest life forms on the earth.
Cyanobacteria played an important role in the evolution of the life form on the earth through the revolutionary process of photosynthesis. However, where most photosynthetic bacteria have anoxygenic photosynthesis, cyanobacteria have the ability to perform oxygenic photosynthesis.
In cyanobacteria, photosynthesis takes place in the thylakoid membranes. In the thylakoid membrane, chlorophyll pigment is located which has the ability to absorb a wide range of light energy from the sun. Now this light energy is then used to split water molecules into oxygen and protons.
where does photosynthesis take place in algae?
Photosynthesis in algae occurs within chloroplasts, which are specialized intracellular organelles. Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll, which enables algae to capture light energy and convert it into biochemical energy.
The process of photosynthesis occurs within the thylakoid membranes of the chloroplasts, where light is harvested and converted into biochemical energy by pigment-protein complexes and associated proteins.
The immediate products of photosynthesis, NADPH and ATP, are used by the photosynthetic cells to produce many organic molecules. Therefore, photosynthesis is a crucial process for the survival of algae.