Describe photosynthetic unit.
GeneralClass 12AllAnswered 27 Mar 2026
Answer
A photosynthetic unit (or quantasome) is the smallest functional unit capable of photosynthesis, consisting of:
Components:
- 200-300 chlorophyll molecules (mostly chlorophyll a and b)
- 50-100 accessory pigment molecules (carotenoids, xanthophylls)
- 1 reaction center chlorophyll molecule (P700 in PS I, P680 in PS II)
- Primary electron acceptor
- Protein scaffold holding pigments in optimal geometry
Function: Light-harvesting complex (LHC) pigments absorb photons and transfer energy via resonance energy transfer to the reaction center, where photochemical charge separation occurs.
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