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GRADE 11

• QUARTER 2 • W E E K 2 •
 2|Page General Biology 1

INTRODUCTION

Our environment undergoes different process or cycle to have a one or more

complete product that benefits different organisms in the earth. For example, the water
cycle that plants, humans and animal’s primary needs.
In this module we will discuss the cycle that are the one of the most important
cycle to earth, humans, animals and plant to live in the earth. Every living thing on
Earth depends on the Calvin cycle. Plants depend on the Calvin cycle
for energy and food. Other organisms, including herbivores, also depend on it
indirectly because they depend on plants for food. Even organisms that eat other
organisms, such as carnivores, depend on the Calvin cycle. Without it, they wouldn't
have the food, energy, and nutrients they need to survive.

OBJECTIVES

MELC CODE
At the end of this module, you are
expected to:
• describe the patterns of electron • STEM_BIO11/12-IIa-j-4
flow through light reaction • STEM_BIO11/12-IIa-j-5
events
• describe the significant events
of the Calvin cycle

TOPIC OUTLINE

Lesson 1: The Calvin Cycle: Dark Reaction

Pre Assessment

Direction: Analyze the statement. Identify if it is Light Reaction or Dark reaction. Write
your answer in the blank before the number.
_______________1. It takes place only in the presence of light.
_______________2. It is a photochemical phase.
_______________3. It takes place in the grana of the chloroplast.
_______________4. The water molecules split into hydrogen and oxygen.
_______________5. The end products are ATP and NADPH.
_______________6. It can take place in the presence or absence of sunlight.
________________7. It is a biochemical phase.
_______________8. It takes place in the stroma of the chloroplast.
_______________9. The hydrogen of NADPH combines with CO2.
_______________10. Glucose is the end product. ATP and NADPH help in the
formation of glucose.
3|Page General Biology 1

Lesson 1: The Calvin Cycle: Dark Reaction

In plants, carbon dioxide enters the interior of a leaf via pores called stomata and
diffuses into the stroma of the chloroplast—the site of the Calvin cycle reactions, where sugar
is synthesized. These reactions are also called the light-independent reactions because they
are not directly driven by light.

Let’s Explore

Activity 1: WORD VOCABULARY

Direction: Write the scientific definition of the following words.

WORDS DEFINITION

1. Fixation

2. Reduction

3. Cycle

4. NADPH

5. Biochemical

6. Regeneration

7. Diffuses

8. Thylakoids

9. CO2

10. ATP

Let’s Discuss

The Calvin Cycle

In plants, carbon dioxide (CO2) enters the leaves through stomata, where it diffuses
over short distances through intercellular spaces until it reaches the mesophyll cells. Once in
the mesophyll cells, CO2 diffuses into the stroma of the chloroplast, the site of light-
independent reactions of photosynthesis. These reactions actually have several names
associated with them. Other names for light-independent reactions include the Calvin cycle,
the Calvin-Benson cycle, and dark reactions. The most outdated name is dark reactions,
which can be misleading because it implies incorrectly that the reaction only occurs at night
or is independent of light, which is why most scientists and instructors no longer use it.
4|Page General Biology 1

SOURCES:https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Microbiology/Book%3A_Microbiology_(Boundless)/5%3
A_Microbial_Metabolism/5.12%3A_Biosynthesis/5.12C%3A_The_Calvin_CyLE

Figure: Light Reactions: Light-dependent reactions harness energy from the sun to produce chemical bonds,
ATP, and NADPH. These energy-carrying molecules are made in the stroma where the Calvin cycle takes place.
The Calvin cycle is not totally independent of light since it relies on ATP and NADH, which are products of the
light-dependent reactions.

The light-independent reactions of the Calvin cycle can be organized into three basic
stages: fixation, reduction, and regeneration.

SOURCES:https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Microbiology/Book%3A_Microbiology_(Boundless)
/5%3A_Microbial_Metabolism/5.12%3A_Biosynthesis/5.12C%3A_The_Calvin_Cycle

Figure: The Calvin Cycle: The Calvin cycle has three stages. In stage 1, the enzyme RuBisCO incorporates
carbon dioxide into an organic molecule, 3-PGA. In stage 2, the organic molecule is reduced using electrons
supplied by NADPH. In stage 3, RuBP, the molecule that starts the cycle, is regenerated so that the cycle can
continue. Only one carbon dioxide molecule is incorporated at a time, so the cycle must be completed three
times to produce a single three-carbon GA3P molecule, and six times to produce a six-carbon glucose molecule.

Stage 1: Fixation

In the stroma, in addition to CO2,two other components are present to initiate the light-
independent reactions: an enzyme called ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase (RuBisCO) and
three molecules of ribulose bisphosphate (RuBP). RuBP has five atoms of carbon, flanked
by two phosphates. RuBisCO catalyzes a reaction between CO2 and RuBP. For each
5|Page General Biology 1

CO2 molecule that reacts with one RuBP, two molecules of 3-phosphoglyceric acid (3-PGA)
form. 3-PGA has three carbons and one phosphate. Each turn of the cycle involves only one
RuBP and one carbon dioxide and forms two molecules of 3-PGA. The number of carbon
atoms remains the same, as the atoms move to form new bonds during the reactions (3
atoms from 3CO2 + 15 atoms from 3RuBP = 18 atoms in 3 atoms of 3-PGA). This process is
called carbon fixation because CO2 is “fixed” from an inorganic form into organic molecules.

Stage 2: Reduction

ATP and NADPH are used to convert the six molecules of 3-PGA into six molecules
of a chemical called glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate (G3P). This is a reduction reaction because
it involves the gain of electrons by 3-PGA. Recall that a reduction is the gain of an electron
by an atom or molecule. Six molecules of both ATP and NADPH are used. For ATP, energy
is released with the loss of the terminal phosphate atom, converting it to ADP; for NADPH,
both energy and a hydrogen atom are lost, converting it into NADP+. Both of these molecules
return to the nearby light-dependent reactions to be reused and reenergized.

Stage 3: Regeneration

At this point, only one of the G3P molecules leaves the Calvin cycle and is sent to the
cytoplasm to contribute to the formation of other compounds needed by the plant. Because
the G3P exported from the chloroplast has three carbon atoms, it takes three “turns” of the
Calvin cycle to fix enough net carbon to export one G3P. But each turn makes two G3Ps,
thus three turns make six G3Ps. One is exported while the remaining five G3P molecules
remain in the cycle and are used to regenerate RuBP, which enables the system to prepare
for more CO2 to be fixed. Three more molecules of ATP are used in these regeneration
reactions.

Dark Reaction

Dark reaction is also called carbon-fixing reaction. It is a light-independent process in

which sugar molecules are formed from the carbon dioxide and water molecules.

The dark reaction occurs in the stroma of the chloroplast, where they utilize the
products of the light reaction.

Plants capture the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through stomata and proceed
to the Calvin cycle.

In the Calvin cycle, the ATP and NADPH formed during light reaction drives the reaction
and convert six molecules of carbon dioxide into one sugar molecule, i.e. glucose.

The “Dark” Reactions A series of reactions called the Calvin cycle that synthesize
glucose from CO 2 and H 2O:

• can occur in dark (doesn’t require light directly )

• also occurs during daylight!

• takes place in the stroma of chloroplasts

• outside the thylakoids

• uses energy stored in ATP and NADPH

6|Page General Biology 1

Involves an anabolic pathway known as the Calvin cycle:

• endergonic reactions of this pathway are fueled by ATP & NADPH from the “light”
reactions

• resulting sugars can be used as a source of energy or to build other organic molecules

Difference between Light and Dark Reaction

Following are the important difference between light and dark reaction:

Light Reaction Dark Reaction

It takes place only in the presence of It can take place in the presence or absence of
light. sunlight.

It is a photochemical phase. It is a biochemical phase.

It takes place in the grana of the It takes place in the stroma of the chloroplast.
chloroplast.

NADP utilizes H+ ions to form NADPH. The hydrogen of NADPH combines with CO2.

The end products are ATP and NADPH. Glucose is the end product. ATP and NADPH help in
the formation of glucose.

The water molecules split into hydrogen Glucose is produced. Co2 is utilized in the dark
and oxygen. reaction.

Photolysis occurs in PS-II. Photolysis does not occur.

SOURCE: Byju,s
7|Page General Biology 1

Let’s Try More

Activity 2: COMPLETE IT!

Direction: Complete the missing part of the Calvin Cycle and explain how does the cycle
occur.

SOURCE:biologycorner.com

EXPLAINATION
8|Page General Biology 1

Application

PERFORMANCE TASK #2

Look for it!

Direction: Analyze the picture. Explain about the differences and importance of the

light reaction and the dark reaction.

SOURCE: Byju`s
9|Page General Biology 1

Post Assessment

Direction: Analyze the statement. Identify if it is Light Reaction or Dark reaction. Write
your answer in the blank before the number.

_______________1. It is a biochemical phase.

_______________2. It takes place in the stroma of the chloroplast.

_______________3. The hydrogen of NADPH combines with CO2.

_______________4. Glucose is the end product. ATP and NADPH help in the formation
of glucose.

_______________5. It takes place only in the presence of light.

_______________6. It is a photochemical phase.

_______________7. It takes place in the grana of the chloroplast.

_______________8. The water molecules split into hydrogen and oxygen.

_______________9. The end products are ATP and NADPH.

_______________10. It can take place in the presence or absence of sunlight.

REFERENCE

• https://byjus.com/biology/light-reaction-vs-dark-reaction/
• http://www.lamission.edu/lifesciences/Steven/Bio3%20Chapter%207.pdf
• https://www.google.com/search?q=sample+dark+reaction+illustration&tbm=is
ch&ved=2ahUKEwik9-uUicrsAhVZA6YKHYoHDXYQ2-
cCegQIABAA&oq=sample+dark+reaction+illustration&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQA1Dex
gFYhNUBYNTXAWgAcAB4AIAB6QKIAdUJkgEHMS41LjAuMZgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy
13aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=GnaSX6SCE9mGmAWKj7SwBw&bih=625&
biw=1366&hl=en#imgrc=ju90bg3FWYyvyM
• https://www.khanacademy.org/science/ap-biology/cellular-
energetics/photosynthesis/a/calvin-cycle

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Grade &
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