Photosynthesis Analogy - Wesleyan College



Photosynthesis Activity

BIO 110

Wesleyan College

Read the following narrative, then answer the questions at the end.

The Photosystem II shop is located in the town of Thylakoidia, a suburb of the Chloroplast Village in the Museum District of Plantersville. One of the principle owners of this shop is Mr Light. When Light enters the Photosystem II shop, the shopkeeper(named P680) is so excited to see the famous Light that he jumps up and down, throwing the vase that he is holding into the air. Just in time, his helper catches the vase before it crashes to the floor. The vase is extremely valuable, and the shopkeeper has thrown it in the air before. To keep the vase safe, the helper sends it to a series of friends. The shopkeeper receives a replacement vase from his friend Mr. Aqua, because Aqua knows that the shopkeeper must keep a stock of vases or he will go out of business. This is a sacrifice for Mr Aqua, but he is OK with that because he has always wanted to lose some weight. Mr Aqua leaves the shop a new man and changes his name to O.X.Y. Gen.

Although it is supposed to be a secret, people find out about the friends having the vase, and crowds form. To make money, the friends force people to view the vase while passing through a turnstile which is connected to a money making machine. The last friend who receives the vase works at the Photosystem I shop. He doesn’t have a money making turnstile, but instead has a special need for the vase. You see, Mr Light also has a controlling interest in this shop. The vase replaces a vase that has been thrown by the shopkeeper’s twin (P700), who has a similar reaction to that of his brother when Light enters his shop.

The Photosystem I shop is slightly different from the Photosystem II shop. When Light enters this shop, the shopkeeper (like his brother) throws his vase in the air. But, because there are different helpers in the Photosystem I shop, the vase sometimes goes different places. If the Plantersville Museum is in need of this particular vase, the helper who catches it sends it along to a distributor who stores it in a special vase box until it can be used as collateral for the museum’s obtaining a rare G3P edition urn. If the museum needs more money, it is sent to the same friends who received the vase from the helper in Photosystem I. As before, the friends make money off showing it to the public and then return it to Photosystem I. In this way, the friends can make more money to support the museum in its attempt to buy the rare G3P urn.

Both the vase (in its storage box) and the money that the friends have made showing the vases to the public will be used by the Plant Museum in its attempt to obtain the elusive G3P edition urn. The urn is made at the Calvin Cycle Shop, which is really a front for organized sugar synthesis. The shop makes G3P using the abundant supply of CO2, but the process is very expensive. RubyP at the Calvin Cycle Shop is the only craftsman capable of doing the job. She uses three CO2 for every 1G3P that she makes and she requires that the museum pay nine units of money and six storage boxes containing the vases for her help! The museum realizes it must pay up or face financial ruin. True to her word, Ruby P helps to make the museum one G3P edition urn and RubyP returns to the Calvin Cycle Shop ready for the next customer. The museum now has one G3P, which forms the basis for a very important collection that can be enjoyed by both the Plantersville Museum itself and many, many patrons.

1. What is the consequence of Mr. Light entering the Photosystem shops?

2. What happens to the vases?

3. What happens to the CO2?

4. Diagram this analogy in relation to photosynthesis, noting specific places where each reaction occurs, keeping track of energy transfer reactions and synthesis of organic molecules.

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