PHOTOSYSTEM I AND PHOTOSYSTEM II

In order for plants to grow, they need inputs of carbon dioxide, water,
and energy. The chemical process by which plants use these resources
to manufacture glucose, the building blocks of plants, is called
photosynthesis.
Photosynthesis consists of two sets of reactions- the light dependent
reactions and the Calvin cycle.
Within the chloroplast are small disk-like structures called thylakoids,
which are surrounded by a fluid-filled space called the stroma. The
reactions that synthesize glucose, the Calvin cycle-occur in the stroma.
The light-dependent reactions occur in the thylakoid.
In most photosynthetic organisms, thylakoids contain pairs of
photosystems, called photosystem I and photosystem II, that work in
tandem to produce the energy that will later be used in the stroma to
manufacture sugars.
The photosystems of the thylakoid consist of a network of accessory
pigment molecules and chlorophyll-the molecules that absorb photons
of light.
Within the pigment molecules, the absorbed light energy excites
electrons to a higher state. Photosystems will channel the excitation
energy gathered by the pigment molecules to a reaction center
chlorophyll molecule which will then pass the electrons to a series of
proteins located on the thylakoid membrane.
Photons strike the Photosystem II first:
The energized electron are passed from the reaction center of
photosystem II to an electron transport chain.
The electrons lost by Photosystem II are replaced by a process called
photolysis, which involves the oxidation of a water molecule, producing
free electrons and oxygen gas.
The electrons lost by Photosystem II are replaced by a process called
photolysis, which involves the oxidation of a water molecule, producing
free electrons and oxygen gas.
 As electrons pass through the electron transport chain, the energy
from the electron is used to pump hydrogen ions from the stroma to
the thylakoid, creating a concentration gradient.
This gradient powers a protein called ATP synthase which
phosphorylates ADP to ATP.
The low energy electrons leaving Photosystem II are shuttled to
Photosystem I.
Within photosystem I, low energy electrons are reenergized and are
passed through an electron transport chain where they are used to
reduce the electron carrier NADP+ to NADPH.
When the chloroplast is receiving a steady supply of photons, NADPH
and ATP molecules are rapidly being provided to the metabolic
pathways in the stroma.
Therefore, the ATP and NADPH formed during the light dependent
reactions are used in the stroma to fuel the Calvin Cycle reactions.