Final answer:
The Calvin cycle requires ATP and NADPH from the light-dependent reactions to operate and produces glucose.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Calvin cycle requires ATP and NADPH from the light-dependent reactions in order to operate. The Calvin cycle produces glucose. Learn about the two stages of photosynthesis: the light-dependent reactions, which occur in the thylakoid membrane, and the light-independent reactions, better known as the Calvin cycle, which occur in the stroma of chloroplasts.
The light-dependent reactions harness solar energy to produce ATP and NADPH. Then, in the Calvin cycle, these energy carriers ATP and NADPH are used to convert atmospheric carbon dioxide into carbohydrates. Specifically, the Calvin cycle includes three basic stages: fixation, reduction, and regeneration, with the enzyme RuBisCO playing a crucial role in fixing carbon dioxide into an organic molecule.
Overall, the Calvin cycle functions to take the energy from ATP and the reducing power of NADPH, both produced in the light-dependent reactions, to synthesize G3P. Then G3P can be converted into glucose and other carbohydrates that are necessary for plant growth and energy.