Photosynthesis

Animals (including humans) cannot physiologically make their own food. As humans, we are able to consume vegetables such as carrots, celery, and lettuce, or meat products, like beef, pork, and chicken. We must consume certain dietary items in order to survive and stay healthy. Green plants are the only living things that can make their own food. They do this using a process called photosynthesis.

Introduction to Photosynthesis and Its Applications -- A basic introduction to photosynthesis which explains many areas studied by photosynthesis researchers and highlights much of the work we do at the Photosynthesis Center. Written by Prof. Wim Vermaas from the Photosynthesis Center. [level: middle school and above]

Photosynthetic Antennas and Reaction Centers--a good introduction to some of the technical aspects of photosynthesis by Prof. Robert E. Blankenship from the ASU Photosynthesis Center [level: undergraduate college]

Photosynthesis and the World Wide Web -- There is a lot of information out there on the web, maybe too much. This web paper does not attempt to list every one, only those that the authors consider to be among the best. Still, it lists hundreds of good sites with information on photosynthesis categorized by completeness, subject matter and educational level.

ASU Research: The Power of Green--a cover story and related articles about what we do at the ASU Photosynthesis Center. [level: high school to undergraduate]

Photosynthesis--by M. J. Farabee. An excellent introduction to the entire photosynthetic process. [level: high school to undergraduate]

Photosynthesis--a very good hypertext book from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. [level: high school to undergraduate]

The Photosynthetic Process--a good review of photosynthesis by John Whitmarsh and Govindjee from the University of Illinois [level: high school to undergraduate]

Why Do Leaves Turn Color in Fall?--Reproduced by permission from Science Made Simple, an excellent source of science information for elementary through middle school children (and their parents!). Includes some easy experiments/demonstrations. [level: elementary through middle school]

Photosynthesis: Don't "Leaf" Out Fall's Most Valuable Lesson! from Education World also discusses photosynthesis and fall leaves. [level: elementary through middle school]

Newton's Apple TV program on Photosynthesis--some very basic definitions and projects [level: elementary through middle school]

Photosynthetic Pigments--why plants are green and other colors, from the University of California Museum of Paleontology [level: elementary through college]

Using photosynthesis in a high school biology class--a section of the National Science Education Standards from the National Academy of Sciences showing how photosynthesis can be used to teach the scientific method and show the development of scientific knowledge. [level: high school]

Photosynthetic Pictures--Are Worth More Than a Thousand Words--a good classroom guide to preparing starch photos. [level: high school]

How Plants Cope with Desert Climate from the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum--explains how plants in desert areas use a special photosynthetic adaptation called CAM. [level: all ages]

Form and Photosynthesis in Vascular Plants--from Prof. Thomas J. Herbert, University of Miami: explains why plants have leaves and why some move around. A simple model of canopy photosynthesis rates is also presented. [level: high school to undergraduate]

Light Harvesting in Bacterial Photosynthesis--from the Theoretical Biophysics Group at the University of Illinois, Urbana: very good up-to-date coverage of the topic and many excellent figures. [level: undergraduate college]

Introduction to Cyanobacteria--from UC Berkeley: an introduction to some very important bacteria and includes information about cyanobacterial fossils. [level: high school to undergraduate]

The bc₁ Complex Home Page--from Tony Crofts' lab at the University of Illinois. Contains numerous links to illustrations and other labs studying the bc₁ complex. [level: high school to undergraduate college]

Field Photosynthesis Measurement Systems --a group from New Mexico State University shows how instruments are used to measure photosynthesis rates outdoors in nature. [level: high school to undergraduate college]

Chlorophyll Fluorescence--from Opti-Sciences, a manufacturer of fluorometers. [level: undergraduate college]

I Didn't Know That!

Faux photosynthesis
"Greg Van Patten may be the only materials scientist who claims chlorophyll as his muse. A bioscience researcher at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Van Patten is developing films that could be used to coat roofing tiles.Dyes in the film would imitate photosynthesis, collecting energy from the sun and converting it to electricity. On a clear day, the sun transmits about a kilowatt of power per square meter. While plants use that energy to convert water and CO₂ into food, Van Patten's tiles can use the energy to power your VCR or Mr. Coffee - and we're talking about hours of video and many pots of coffee. Traditional semiconductor solar cells collect only a limited portion of the light spectrum, but the Los Alamos tiles are treated with layers of films, each tinted with a dye designed to absorb a particular wavelength of light. A stack of different-colored layers can soak up many wavelengths of light." From a Wired article Small Parts: A users' guide to out-of-the-box living.

There's something corny about oxygen
"An average hectare of corn produces enough oxygen per hectare per day in mid summer to meet the respiratory needs of about 325 people. This means that the one million or so hectares of corn grown in Ontario produce enough oxygen for the annual respiratory needs of Ontario's 10 million residents in about 11 summer days!" From: Corn and Photosynthesis

News from the underground
"Scientists have recently discovered microorganisms living within igneous formations -- extremely hard rock lacking organic nutrients. The industrious residents of these rocks fashion their own organic molecules out of the barest of inorganic materials. Relying only on hydrogen, water, and carbon dioxide -- all of which are products of Earth's interior --these microbes are unique among the vast array of living species. All other organisms depend to some extent on the sun's energy, which is harnessed through photosynthesis and creates food for surface life. Even organisms living near seafloor vents rely indirectly on the oxygen supplied by photosynthesis, says Todd O. Stevens of Battelle." From: Deep Dwellers: Microbes Thrive Far Below Ground (Science News, 151: 192-193--not all life needs photosynthesis, but the exceptions are pretty amazing!