Page 149 - Photosynthesis: The Green Miracle

Harun Yahya

photosynthesis. These chloroplasts, which absorb solar light, are the heart
of the entire system. With their structures resembling interconnected bal-
loons, chloroplasts give plants their green color.
In the plant cell, photosynthesis takes place in the chloroplasts, small
discs 2 to 10 micrometers thick (a micrometer is 1 millionth of a meter)
and 0.003 millimeters (3/1000 millimeter) in diameter. There are around

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40 chloroplasts in each cell. Despite being so small, these interesting
units are separated from their parent cell by two membranes which them-
selves are unbelievably thin, just 60 angstroms, or 0.000006 millimeters
(about 1/100,000 of a millimeter).The chloroplast contains structures
known as the thylakoids, which resemble pancakes. These preserve the
chlorophyll, photosynthesis’s chemical unit, and are protected by thinner
membranes. These thylakoids are arranged as discs known as grana,
which are just 0.0003 millimeters in size, one atop of the other. There are
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some 40 to 60 of these grana in each chloroplast. All these complex struc-
tures consist of proteins and fats that have been brought together for a
specific purpose.
Thylakoids: The second component in the chloroplast are these sac-
like membranes that contain the green chlorophyll molecules that absorbs
sunlight.
Grana: Thylakoids combine together to form grana.
Chlorophyll: The green pigment in the chloroplast that absorbs sun-

light.
Stroma lameli: A pipe-like membrane that links the grana in the
chloroplast.
Stroma: A jelly-like fluid in the chloroplast.

Photosynthesis and Light
In terms of both its functions and chemical structure, the atmosphere

is a perfect covering essential for life. The Sun emits rays of many differ-
ent wavelengths. Of these, however, only a very narrow range contains

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