Emerson

When Emerson exposed green plants to differing wavelengths of light, he noticed that at
wavelengths of greater than 680 nm the efficiency of photosynthesis decreased abruptly despite
the fact that this is a region of the spectrum where chlorophyll still absorbs light (chlorophyll is the
green pigment in plants - it absorbs mainly the red and blue wavelengths from light, leaving the
green light to bounce back and hit our eyes). When the plants were exposed to short-wavelength
light, (less than 660 nm), the efficiency also decreased. Emerson then exposed the plants to both
short and longwavelengths at the same time, causing the efficiency to increase greatly. He
concluded that there must be two differentphotosystems involved in photosynthesis, one driven
by short-wavelength light and one driven by long-wavelength (PS1and PS2). They work together
to enhance efficiency and convert the light energy to forms that can be absorbed by the plant.[3]

The light excites the chlorophyll molecules at the reaction centre and causes an increase in
energy. As the moleculebecomes less excited, its energy is transported through a chain
of electron carriers to the next photosystem which does much the same thing and produces
energy-carrying organic molecules.
 Photosynthesis is the major source of energy for practically all plants living in

sunlight. It is the process that plants go through to convert energy from sunlight to produce

sugar that is then later transformed into ATP by cellular respiration. Green plants obtain all

their energy by photosynthesis, the process in which light is converted to chemical energy.

The light reactions are the photo part of photosynthesis, while the so-called dark reactions

constitute the synthesis part of the process, which is also called carbon fixation. The light

and dark reaction are intimately linked and are summarized by the left-to-right reaction.

(Hong, 2005)

Light is one of the main factors that affects the rate of photosynthesis, which literally

means using light to create something new. Plants use energy absorbed from the sun or another

light source as fuel for the photosynthesis process. When light intensity increases, the rate at

which photosynthesis occurs increases as well. Outdoor plants photosynthesize faster on a sunny

day as opposed to a cloudy day. (Lee, 2003)

 Temperature is another factor that affects the rate at which photosynthesis occurs.

Photosynthesis is a chemical reaction, and higher temperatures speed up chemical reactions. This

is one of the reasons people grow plants in greenhouses; the greenhouses convert light from the

sun into warmth and trap it inside the greenhouse, creating a warmer natural environment for

plants, which then photosynthesize faster. Plants also photosynthesize faster during the summer

than the winter because of the warmer temperatures. (Wiley, 1937)

Carbon dioxide is one of the main elements in the photosynthesis scientific formula. It is

converted into oxygen during photosynthesis. When levels of carbon dioxide are increased, the

rate at which photosynthesis occurs increases also, up to a point. More carbon dioxide leads to

faster photosynthesis and more oxygen produced in a shorter amount of time than with less

carbon dioxide.

Water is one of the main ingredients required in the process of photosynthesis and it's

important for a plant or any other photoautotroph to maintain or receive sufficient supply of

water during the process of photosynthesis. Water has a direct effect on the stomata which is

responsible for the diffusion of carbon dioxide.

In photosynthesis, plants use light energy to produce glucose from carbon dioxide.

The glucose is stored mainly in the form of starch granules, in plastids such

as chloroplasts and especially amyloplasts. Toward the end of the growing season, starch

accumulates in twigs of trees near the buds. Fruit, seeds, rhizomes, and tubers store starch to

prepare for the next growing season.

Glucose is soluble in water, hydrophilic, binds much water and then takes up much

space; glucose in the form of starch, on the other hand, is not soluble and can be stored much

more compactly.
 Glucose molecules are bound in starch by the easily hydrolyzed alpha bonds. The

same type of bond is found in the animal reserve polysaccharide glycogen. This is in contrast

to many structural polysaccharides such as chitin, cellulose and peptidoglycan, which are

bound by beta bonds and are much more resistant to hydrolysis. (Sone, 1937)

Dapus

Hong, B. T. (2005) Siri Teks Referens Biologi SPM. Selangor: Pearson Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.

Lee Soon Ching, L. S. (2003) Success in Biology for STPM Volume 1. Selangor, Fajar Bakb
dn. Bhd.

Belle Lowe Experimental Cookery From The Chemical And Physical Standpoint. John Wiley
& Sone Year 1937, Copyright 1937. Belle Lowe