AP Biology
and 10
Cellular Energetics Unit: Chapters 8, 9
Chapter 10: Photosynthesis Practice Test
1. Each pigment molecule has a characteristic ________ spectrum.
________________________________________
2. Plants and algae use a two-stage _________ in the light dependent reactions.
________________________________________
3. The Calvin cycle is driven by ATP and _____ produced in the light reactions.
________________________________________
4. The ______ plants utilize a specialized carbon fixation enzyme and a unique cell
structure to reduce the problems of photorespiration.
________________________________________
5. The process whereby protons accumulate on one side of a membrane and can flow
back across the membrane through ATP synthase resulting in ATP production is called
_________________.
________________________________________
6. Carbon fixation occurs during the dark reactions, or the _______ ________, in photosynthesis.
________________________________________
7. Carbon atoms of CO2 are incorporated into organic molecules in a series of dark reactions called
A. carbon reduction.
B. carbon synthesis.
C. carbon fixation.
D. carbon activation.
E. carbon oxidation.
8. Flattened sacs of internal membranes associated with photosynthesis are called
A. chloroplasts.
B. photosystems.
C. the stroma.
D. thylakoids.
E. cristae.
9. In green plant photosynthesis, the electron donor for the light dependent reaction is
A. carbon dioxide.
B. oxygen.
C. RuBP.
D. chlorophyll II.
E. water.
10. In the dark reactions of photosynthesis, CO2 is added to a five-carbon sugarphosphate known as
A. cyclic AMP.
B. NADH.
C. NAD+.
D. RuBP.
E. CAM.
11. Visible light has a wavelength range of
A. 400-700 nanometers.
B. 200-800 nanometers.
C. 200-400 nanometers.
D. 200-700 nanometers.
E. 0.001-100,000 nanometers.
12. The connection between carrots and vision is that the -carotene of carrots can produce two molecules of vitamin A and oxidation of vitamin A produces a pigment used in
vertebrate vision. This pigment's name is
A. chlorophyll.
B. ferredoxin.
C. cytochrome.
D. carotene.
E. retinal.
13. Chlorophyll b absorbs in green wavelengths of light that chlorophyll a cannot absorb. In this respect, chlorophyll b acts as
A. an accessory pigment.
B. an energizer for photosynthetic bacteria.
C. a light absorber in the green light.
D. a more efficient pigment.
14. The photosystem channels the excitation energy gathered by absorption of light by
any one of the pigment molecules to a specific "reaction center chlorophyll," which in
turn passes the energy to
A. photosystem I.
B. photosystem II.
C. the primary electron acceptor.
D. the secondary electron center.
E. cytochrome.
15. In the photosystem I photocenter, light energy captured by pigment molecules is
passed on to a special molecule called
A. P680.
B. P700.
C. chlorophyll I.
D. chlorophyll II.
E. retinal.
16. Photosystem II absorbs protons that are slightly more energetic than photosystem I,
but similarly pass this energy to a pigment called
A. P680.
B. P700.
C. chlorophyll I.
D. chlorophyll II.
E. retinal.
17. Photosystem II differs from photosystem I in that _____________ is not made directly from the process.
A. ATP
B. NADH
C. NADPH
D. carbohydrates
E. water
18. The dark reactions of photosynthesis are those that
A. convert chlorophylls into enzymes.
B. convert enzymes into chlorophylls.
C. convert water into hydrogen and oxygen.
D. convert CO2 into reduced molecules (sugars).
E. only occur in the dark.
19. In dark reactions, when CO2 is added to a molecule of RUBP the product is
A. citric acid.
B. glucose.
C. glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate.
D. phosphoglycerate.
E. pyruvate.
20. How many revolutions of the Calvin cycle are required to produce the sugar glucose?
A. 2
B. 3
C. 4
D. 5
E. 6
21. In which part of the chloroplasts are the Calvin cycle enzymes located?
A. stroma
B. thylakoids
C. grana
D. envelope
E. cristae
22. What products of light reactions of photosynthesis are used in the Calvin cycle?
A. oxygen and protons
B. carbon dioxide and water
C. ATP and NADPH
D. ADP and NADP
E. glucose and oxygen
23. CO2 is released without the production of ATP or NADPH. This process is called
A. carbon fixation.
B. oxygen fixation.
C. photophosphorylation.
D. photorespiration.
E. photooxidation.
24. The loss of carbon fixing activity of the enzyme RuBP carboxylase is directly proportional to
A. high temperatures and high light intensities.
B. low temperature and low light intensities.
C. completely dark conditions.
D. lack of carbon dioxide.
E. lack of oxygen.
25. One of the disadvantages of the C4 pathway is that it requires
A. more O2.
B. more NADPH.
C. more light.
D. more ATP.
E. a much higher temperature.
26. A method devised by succulent desert plants to reduce the problem of photorespiration is
A. the C3 pathway.
B. the CAM metabolism.
C. the Calvin cycle.
D. light reactions.
E. nitrogen fixation.
27. Most of the atmospheric oxygen occurs as a result of photosynthesis. From which of
the following molecules is the oxygen derived?
A. water
B. carbon dioxide
C. glucose
D. chlorophyll
28. A scientist is hoping to synthesize a new herbicide that will kill certain weeds. She
has found that one weed species in particular has thylakoids that have rather large
pores. The herbicide will open the pores of these thylakoids, causing them to leak
A. stromal enzymes.
B. chlorophyll.
C. ATP.
D. glucose.
E. NADPH.
29. C. B. van Niel used sulfur bacteria in his research on photosynthesis. His equation
involved carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. The bacteria produce sulfur. In green
plants which molecule is split to form the oxygen?
A. water
B. carbon dioxide
C. glucose
D. chlorophyll
30. If chlorophyll a is blocked from absorbing, what will happen to chlorophyll b since it
is an accessory pigment?
A. Chlorophyll b will become denatured and will not function as a light-absorbing pigment.
B. Chlorophyll b will still absorb near the green wavelengths of light, but photosynthesis
will be greatly reduced.
C. Chlorophyll b will become saturated with light and will continue photosynthesis even
in the absence of chlorophyll a.
D. Chlorophyll b will also be blocked and thus photosynthesis will be stopped.
31. Carotenoids are important to many plants because these pigments are able to
A. remove carbon dioxide from the air.
B. absorb wavelengths of light that neither chlorophyll a nor b can absorb.
C. absorb water so that hydrolysis can be carried out in the chloroplasts.
D. capture UV radiation that is harmful to the DNA in the nucleus of plant cells.
E. store electrons for use during the "dark" reaction of photosynthesis.
32. Fall leaf color on deciduous trees is a result of
A. the production of more accessory pigments because of the cooler temperatures.
B. the reduction in the production of accessory pigments because of the cooler temperatures.
C. cessation of chlorophyll production, which allows the accessory pigments to be revealed.
D. the increased angle of the sun during the fall, which reflects more of the accessory
pigments causing the human eye to see the red, yellow, and orange colors that were
masked by the green chlorophyll.
33. In the plants that utilize the CAM pathway, what happens to the stomata?
A. The stomata open in the afternoon but close as soon as the sun sets.
B. The stomata open in the morning but close in the afternoon.
C. The stomata open in the evening but close in the morning.
D. The stomata open only when the sun is shining and close at night.
34. Which of the following is not part of the light-dependent reactions?
A. primary photoevent
B. charge separation
C. Calvin cycle
D. electron transport
E. chemiosmosis
35. The Calvin cycle requires all of the following except
A. carbon dioxide.
B. oxygen.
C. ATP.
D. NADPH.
E. water.
Choose the letter of the best match from the following. Some letters may be used more
than once or not at all.
A. green
B. violet-blue
C. red
D. ultraviolet
E. yellow-orange
36. Shortest wavelength and highest-energy photons within the visible spectrum; one of
the regions where chlorophylls absorb.
________________________________________
37. Visible light not strongly absorbed by light.
________________________________________
38. High energy component of the electromagnetic spectrum; associated with sunburn.
________________________________________
39. Apparent color of chlorophylls.
________________________________________
40. Visible light with longest wavelength and lowest-energy photons; one of the regions
where chlorophylls absorb.
________________________________________
41. Which of the following would not be considered to be a function of the antennae
complex in photosynthesis?
A. enables a wide use of the visible light spectrum
B. enables an efficient light reaction
C. provides adaptability to varying light conditions
D. acts as reaction center
42. Emerson and colleagues discovered the enhancement effect while studying photosynthesis in green algae. The algae were illuminated with light of either 680 nm or 700
nm, and the rate of photosynthesis was measured. The researchers found that the rate
of photosynthesis when the lights were applied simultaneously was greater than the
sum of the rates when the lights were applied individually. These results provided evidence that
A. photosynthesis is carried out by two photosystems that act in parallel.
B. photosynthesis is carried out by two photosystems that act in series.
C. photosynthesis is carried out by two photosystems that work best at a wavelength of
690 nm.
D. photosynthesis is enhanced by the use of two photosystems.
To elucidate the cycle of reactions that allow carbon fixation, Melvin Calvin exposed
suspensions of the green alga Chlorella to 14CO2 for a period of time. He then killed the
cells and denatured the enzymes by submerging them in a beaker of boiling alcohol.
The 14C-labeled compounds were then separated from one another using paper chromatography.
43. Which of the following experimental modifications would help to determine the sequence of reactions and the reaction intermediates in the Calvin cycle?
A. exposing the cells to 14CO2 for various time intervals
B. exposing the cells to alternating periods of light and darkness
C. exposing the cells to radiolabeled O2 instead of 14CO2
D. varying other rate limiting steps of photosynthesis such as water and light
44. Which of the following statements best describes the relative concentrations of G3P
and RuBP in a chloroplast as a result of a transition from daytime (light) to nighttime
(dark)?
A. The concentrations of G3P and RuBP would remain the same.
B. The concentrations of G3P and RuBP would both decrease.
C. G3P would increase and RuBP would decrease.
D. G3P would decrease and RuBP would increase.
45. The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) is involved in the regulation of photorespiration. Based on this information, ABA likely plays a role in
A. the opening and closing of stomata.
B. the photoelectric effect.
C. cyclic photophosphorylation.
D. noncyclic photophosphorylation.
46. If you exposed a C4 plant to 14CO2 in the light, which of the following would be the
first organic molecule labeled with 14C?
A. oxaloacetate
B. malate
C. pyruvate
D. phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP)
47. Under what circumstances would increasing light intensity not result in an increase
in the rate of photosynthesis?
48. Describe the conflict between a plant's need to undergo photosynthesis and its need
to conserve water when it is in short supply. Briefly state how plants overcome this
problem.
Photosynthesis Practice Test AP Key
1. Each pigment molecule has a characteristic ________ spectrum.
absorption
Difficulty: Easy
Raven - 008 Chapter... #3
2. Plants and algae use a two-stage _________ in the light dependent reactions.
photosystem
Difficulty: Easy
Raven - 008 Chapter... #5
3. The Calvin cycle is driven by ATP and _____ produced in the light reactions.
NADPH
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #6
4. The ______ plants utilize a specialized carbon fixation enzyme and a unique cell
structure to reduce the problems of photorespiration.
C4
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #10
5. The process whereby protons accumulate on one side of a membrane and can flow
back across the membrane through ATP synthase resulting in ATP production is called
_________________.
chemiosmosis
Difficulty: Easy
Raven - 008 Chapter... #12
6. Carbon fixation occurs during the dark reactions, or the _______ ________, in photosynthesis.
Calvin cycle
Difficulty: Easy
Raven - 008 Chapter... #13
7. Carbon atoms of CO2 are incorporated into organic molecules in a series of dark reactions called
a. carbon reduction.
b. carbon synthesis.
C. carbon fixation.
d. carbon activation.
e. carbon oxidation.
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #14
8. Flattened sacs of internal membranes associated with photosynthesis are called
a. chloroplasts.
b. photosystems.
c. the stroma.
D. thylakoids.
e. cristae.
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #16
9. In green plant photosynthesis, the electron donor for the light dependent reaction is
a. carbon dioxide.
b. oxygen.
c. RuBP.
d. chlorophyll II.
E. water.
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #17
10. In the dark reactions of photosynthesis, CO2 is added to a five-carbon sugarphosphate known as
a. cyclic AMP.
b. NADH.
c. NAD+.
D. RuBP.
e. CAM.
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #18
11. Visible light has a wavelength range of
A. 400-700 nanometers.
b. 200-800 nanometers.
c. 200-400 nanometers.
d. 200-700 nanometers.
e. 0.001-100,000 nanometers.
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #21
12. The connection between carrots and vision is that the -carotene of carrots can produce two molecules of vitamin A and oxidation of vitamin A produces a pigment used in
vertebrate vision. This pigment's name is
a. chlorophyll.
b. ferredoxin.
c. cytochrome.
d. carotene.
E. retinal.
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #24
13. Chlorophyll b absorbs in green wavelengths of light that chlorophyll a cannot absorb. In this respect, chlorophyll b acts as
A. an accessory pigment.
b. an energizer for photosynthetic bacteria.
c. a light absorber in the green light.
d. a more efficient pigment.
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #25
14. The photosystem channels the excitation energy gathered by absorption of light by
any one of the pigment molecules to a specific "reaction center chlorophyll," which in
turn passes the energy to
a. photosystem I.
b. photosystem II.
C. the primary electron acceptor.
d. the secondary electron center.
e. cytochrome.
Difficulty: Difficult
Raven - 008 Chapter... #26
15. In the photosystem I photocenter, light energy captured by pigment molecules is
passed on to a special molecule called
a. P680.
B. P700.
c. chlorophyll I.
d. chlorophyll II.
e. retinal.
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #28
16. Photosystem II absorbs protons that are slightly more energetic than photosystem I,
but similarly pass this energy to a pigment called
A. P680.
b. P700.
c. chlorophyll I.
d. chlorophyll II.
e. retinal.
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #29
17. Photosystem II differs from photosystem I in that _____________ is not made directly from the process.
a. ATP
b. NADH
C. NADPH
d. carbohydrates
e. water
Difficulty: Difficult
Raven - 008 Chapter... #30
18. The dark reactions of photosynthesis are those that
a. convert chlorophylls into enzymes.
b. convert enzymes into chlorophylls.
c. convert water into hydrogen and oxygen.
D. convert CO2 into reduced molecules (sugars).
e. only occur in the dark.
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #31
19. In dark reactions, when CO2 is added to a molecule of RUBP the product is
a. citric acid.
b. glucose.
c. glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate.
D. phosphoglycerate.
e. pyruvate.
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #32
20. How many revolutions of the Calvin cycle are required to produce the sugar glucose?
a. 2
b. 3
c. 4
d. 5
E. 6
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #34
21. In which part of the chloroplasts are the Calvin cycle enzymes located?
A. stroma
b. thylakoids
c. grana
d. envelope
e. cristae
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #35
22. What products of light reactions of photosynthesis are used in the Calvin cycle?
a. oxygen and protons
b. carbon dioxide and water
C. ATP and NADPH
d. ADP and NADP
e. glucose and oxygen
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #38
23. CO2 is released without the production of ATP or NADPH. This process is called
a. carbon fixation.
b. oxygen fixation.
c. photophosphorylation.
D. photorespiration.
e. photooxidation.
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #39
24. The loss of carbon fixing activity of the enzyme RuBP carboxylase is directly proportional to
A. high temperatures and high light intensities.
b. low temperature and low light intensities.
c. completely dark conditions.
d. lack of carbon dioxide.
e. lack of oxygen.
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #40
25. One of the disadvantages of the C4 pathway is that it requires
a. more O2.
b. more NADPH.
c. more light.
D. more ATP.
e. a much higher temperature.
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #41
26. A method devised by succulent desert plants to reduce the problem of photorespiration is
a. the C3 pathway.
B. the CAM metabolism.
c. the Calvin cycle.
d. light reactions.
e. nitrogen fixation.
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #42
27. Most of the atmospheric oxygen occurs as a result of photosynthesis. From which of
the following molecules is the oxygen derived?
A. water
b. carbon dioxide
c. glucose
d. chlorophyll
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #43
28. A scientist is hoping to synthesize a new herbicide that will kill certain weeds. She
has found that one weed species in particular has thylakoids that have rather large
pores. The herbicide will open the pores of these thylakoids, causing them to leak
a. stromal enzymes.
B. chlorophyll.
c. ATP.
d. glucose.
e. NADPH.
Difficulty: Difficult
Raven - 008 Chapter... #44
29. C. B. van Niel used sulfur bacteria in his research on photosynthesis. His equation
involved carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. The bacteria produce sulfur. In green
plants which molecule is split to form the oxygen?
A. water
b. carbon dioxide
c. glucose
d. chlorophyll
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #45
30. If chlorophyll a is blocked from absorbing, what will happen to chlorophyll b since it
is an accessory pigment?
a. Chlorophyll b will become denatured and will not function as a light-absorbing pigment.
B. Chlorophyll b will still absorb near the green wavelengths of light, but photosynthesis
will be greatly reduced.
c. Chlorophyll b will become saturated with light and will continue photosynthesis even
in the absence of chlorophyll a.
d. Chlorophyll b will also be blocked and thus photosynthesis will be stopped.
Difficulty: Difficult
Raven - 008 Chapter... #46
31. Carotenoids are important to many plants because these pigments are able to
a. remove carbon dioxide from the air.
B. absorb wavelengths of light that neither chlorophyll a nor b can absorb.
c. absorb water so that hydrolysis can be carried out in the chloroplasts.
d. capture UV radiation that is harmful to the DNA in the nucleus of plant cells.
e. store electrons for use during the "dark" reaction of photosynthesis.
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #47
32. Fall leaf color on deciduous trees is a result of
a. the production of more accessory pigments because of the cooler temperatures.
b. the reduction in the production of accessory pigments because of the cooler tempera-
tures.
C. cessation of chlorophyll production, which allows the accessory pigments to be revealed.
d. the increased angle of the sun during the fall, which reflects more of the accessory
pigments causing the human eye to see the red, yellow, and orange colors that were
masked by the green chlorophyll.
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #50
33. In the plants that utilize the CAM pathway, what happens to the stomata?
a. The stomata open in the afternoon but close as soon as the sun sets.
b. The stomata open in the morning but close in the afternoon.
C. The stomata open in the evening but close in the morning.
d. The stomata open only when the sun is shining and close at night.
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #51
34. Which of the following is not part of the light-dependent reactions?
a. primary photoevent
b. charge separation
C. Calvin cycle
d. electron transport
e. chemiosmosis
Difficulty: Easy
Raven - 008 Chapter... #52
35. The Calvin cycle requires all of the following except
a. carbon dioxide.
B. oxygen.
c. ATP.
d. NADPH.
e. water.
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #53
Choose the letter of the best match from the following. Some letters may be used more
than once or not at all.
A. green
B. violet-blue
C. red
D. ultraviolet
E. yellow-orange
Raven - 008 Chapter...
36. Shortest wavelength and highest-energy photons within the visible spectrum; one of
the regions where chlorophylls absorb.
B
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #54
37. Visible light not strongly absorbed by light.
A
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #55
38. High energy component of the electromagnetic spectrum; associated with sunburn.
D
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #56
39. Apparent color of chlorophylls.
A
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #57
40. Visible light with longest wavelength and lowest-energy photons; one of the regions
where chlorophylls absorb.
C
Difficulty: Moderate
Raven - 008 Chapter... #58
41. Which of the following would not be considered to be a function of the antennae
complex in photosynthesis?
a. enables a wide use of the visible light spectrum
b. enables an efficient light reaction
c. provides adaptability to varying light conditions
D. acts as reaction center
Difficulty: Difficult
Raven - 008 Chapter... #64
42. Emerson and colleagues discovered the enhancement effect while studying photosynthesis in green algae. The algae were illuminated with light of either 680 nm or 700
nm, and the rate of photosynthesis was measured. The researchers found that the rate
of photosynthesis when the lights were applied simultaneously was greater than the
sum of the rates when the lights were applied individually. These results provided evidence that
a. photosynthesis is carried out by two photosystems that act in parallel.
B. photosynthesis is carried out by two photosystems that act in series.
c. photosynthesis is carried out by two photosystems that work best at a wavelength of
690 nm.
d. photosynthesis is enhanced by the use of two photosystems.
Difficulty: Difficult
Raven - 008 Chapter... #65
To elucidate the cycle of reactions that allow carbon fixation, Melvin Calvin exposed
suspensions of the green alga Chlorella to 14CO2 for a period of time. He then killed the
cells and denatured the enzymes by submerging them in a beaker of boiling alcohol.
The 14C-labeled compounds were then separated from one another using paper chromatography.
Raven - 008 Chapter...
43. Which of the following experimental modifications would help to determine the sequence of reactions and the reaction intermediates in the Calvin cycle?
A. exposing the cells to 14CO2 for various time intervals
b. exposing the cells to alternating periods of light and darkness
c. exposing the cells to radiolabeled O2 instead of 14CO2
d. varying other rate limiting steps of photosynthesis such as water and light
Difficulty: Difficult
Raven - 008 Chapter... #67
44. Which of the following statements best describes the relative concentrations of G3P
and RuBP in a chloroplast as a result of a transition from daytime (light) to nighttime
(dark)?
a. The concentrations of G3P and RuBP would remain the same.
b. The concentrations of G3P and RuBP would both decrease.
C. G3P would increase and RuBP would decrease.
d. G3P would decrease and RuBP would increase.
Difficulty: Difficult
Raven - 008 Chapter... #68
45. The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) is involved in the regulation of photorespiration. Based on this information, ABA likely plays a role in
A. the opening and closing of stomata.
b. the photoelectric effect.
c. cyclic photophosphorylation.
d. noncyclic photophosphorylation.
Difficulty: Difficult
Raven - 008 Chapter... #70
46. If you exposed a C4 plant to 14CO2 in the light, which of the following would be the
first organic molecule labeled with 14C?
A. oxaloacetate
b. malate
c. pyruvate
d. phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP)
Difficulty: Difficult
Raven - 008 Chapter... #71
47. Under what circumstances would increasing light intensity not result in an increase
in the rate of photosynthesis?
The rate of photosynthesis depends on the supply of various factors including, but not
limited to, light, carbon dioxide, water, and temperature. At any given time, the rate of
photosynthesis is limited by the factor which is in the shortest supply. Therefore, if a factor other than light is limited, increasing the light intensity would not result in an increase
in the rate of photosynthesis.
Difficulty: Difficult
Raven - 008 Chapter... #72
48. Describe the conflict between a plant's need to undergo photosynthesis and its need
to conserve water when it is in short supply. Briefly state how plants overcome this
problem.
For photosynthesis to occur, plants need to take in CO2 and release O2. Plants accomplish this task by opening and closing the stomata on their leaves. Each time the stomata are open, however, plants also lose water vapor. If water is in short supply, this loss
can decrease the rate of photosynthesis. To overcome this problem, plants undergo
photorespiration.
Difficulty: Difficult
Raven - 008 Chapter... #73
Photosynthesis Practice Test AP Summary
Category
# of Questions
Difficulty: Difficult
12
Difficulty: Easy
5
Difficulty: Moderate
31
Raven - 008 Chapter...
50