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 What Is The Calvin Cycle?Updated on August 9, 2012

The calvin cycle plays an important role in the nourishment of all plants.

What is it?Photosynthesis is the process by hich plants and other autotrophs ma!e their on "food". The

calvin cycle is 1 of the 2 main parts of this process. #t is also !non as "the dar! reactions" because

it does not need light to occur.

The $alvin %or $alvin&'enson( cycle is the cyclic pathay of metabolic reactions that occur as part of 

photosynthesis to create glucose and other sugars using products from the light energy %most

commonly sunlight( dependent part of it. #t is named after the scientist%s( ho first or!ed it out.

The $alvin cycle is the light independent reaction of photosynthesis. This is an important detail to

note because it does not compile photosynthesis. There is also a light dependent stage that re)uires

light energy.

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 A diagram of the different steps ithin the $alvin $ycle.

Steps of the Calvin Cycle

*tep one

1. + $arbon io-ide %one carbon( molecules combine ith + ribulose biphosphate %u'p( %/

carbon( molecules.

2. This forms into + % carbon( molecules hich is unstable and )uic!ly brea!s don into %+

carbon( molecules glycerate +&phosphate %P(

+. This + carbon compound is reduced %given electrons( to form %+&carbon( sugar phosphates

named glyceraldehyde +&phosphate %A3P(.

The hydrogen %hich gives the electrons for reduction( is ta!en from reduced 4AP hich as

obtained during the light dependent stage of photosynthesis. Also ta!en from the light

dependent reactions is the ATP used to provide energy for this reaction.

5. one out of every A3P* made are used to create a &carbon sugar %he-ose( hich may

be converted into other necessary organic compounds such as amino acids or lipids.

/. The remaining / A3P %+ carbon molecules( uses energy formed by hydrating ATP into AP

in order to rearrange themselves into + u'p molecules again.

. The process repeats.

How ATP produces energy

 ATP & Adenosine Triphosphate is compiled of one molecule of adenine %an organic base(, one ribose

%a pentose sugar( and three phosphate groups.

The third phosphate group on ATP is only loosely bonded to the second phosphate and is relatively

easy to remove. 6hen this phosphate is removed from ATP, then AP %adenosine diphosphate( is

made. The no open second phosphate group ill bond easily ith ater molecules and become

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hydrated.

6hen bonds form, energy is released and so the formation of the bonds beteen the second

phosphate of AP and ater molecules releases a lot of energy.

The en7yme ATPase catalyses the reaction of ATP brea!ing don into AP.

That's t!

8ope this hub helped some of you confused students out there

"ore in this Series

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9

#4:;$T#<U* #*;A*;*

How does H# spread?

 A hub containing all you need to !no about ho 8#= spreads and the precautions e are ta!ing to stop it

spreading.

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The A$a%ing Capa&ilities f The Hu$an (rain

There are some things that everyone should !no, and this is one of them. The potential of the human

brain is idely misunderstood, stri!e, grossly underestimated, by most people. The brain has plasticity.

4o, it@s not...

)ollow *1+Co$$ents 2 comments

o to last comment

 ,enu&ou-a + years ago

ust because # am blonde and had to oogle every other ord here does not mean # didn@t

understand it.....=ery informative.

Philanthropy2.12 + years ago from 3ondon8ub Author 

hahaha than! you #t is )uite scientific but after you understand this, you !no ho plants ma!e their 

on food