Non-Cyclic Photophosphorylation: Photosystem II, Z-Scheme Electron Flow, and Oxygen Evolution
Students will investigate how energy flows through ecosystems, constructing food chains and food webs to illustrate trophic levels.
Key Questions
- Explain the sequence of events in non-cyclic photophosphorylation from the photoactivation of P680 in PSII through electron transport to PSI, including the oxidative splitting of water, plastoquinone reduction, and chemiosmotic ATP synthesis.
- Analyse the role of plastocyanin and ferredoxin in electron transfer between PSII and PSI, and explain how the Z-scheme accounts for the thermodynamics of electron flow from water to NADP⁺.
- Evaluate the experimental evidence — including the wavelength-dependence of O₂ evolution and the Emerson enhancement effect — that demonstrates the necessity of two photosystems operating in series rather than a single photosystem.
MOE Syllabus Outcomes
Suggested Methodologies
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