CALVIN CYCLE WORKSHEET

Name ________________________________________ Period _________________

Fill in the blanks with the following words/terms:

Carbon fixation RuBP PGA PGAL

C3 plants stomata C4 Plants C4 pathway
CAM ATP NADP+ NADPH
CO2 stroma ADP light
Organic compounds (sugar) light intensity open night
two phosphate C4 pathway temperature
CAM pathway 4 3 closed
Day 0 enzyme

The purpose of the Calvin cycle is to fix _______ . The Calvin cycle takes place in the
______________. There are 3 steps to the Calvin cycle. In step 1, __________ is fixed by an
enzyme called Rubisco. Rubisco adds CO2 to RuBP to form 2 molecules of ____________.

In step 2, 2 molecules of PGA are converted to 2 molecules of PGAL. Step 2 uses ATP and
NADPH that were made during the _____________ reactions. The number of molecules of ATP
used in step 2 is __________. The number of molecules of NADPH used in step 2 is
___________. When ATP is used, it is converted to ______. In step 2, each PGA molecule
receives one ________________ from ATP to produce PGAL. In step 2, ADP and NADP+ are
formed, and then they can be used again in the ____________________ reactions to produce
new ATP and NADPH.

In step 3, 2 molecules of PGAL are converted to either _________________ _______________

or RuBP. Step 3 completes the Calvin cycle. RuBP is replenished, and then it can be used again
to fix more _________.

In your own words, explain why the Calvin cycle is called a ‘cycle’.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

1
How many ATP and NADPH molecules are used to make one molecule of PGAL? Let’s figure it
out. PGAL is a 3-carbon molecule. Therefore, it takes 3 turns of the Calvin cycle to produce
one molecule of PGAL. So, you need to determine how many molecules of ATP and NADPH
are used for one turn of the cycle, and then multiply by 3. Let’s do the calculations:

ATP
Step 1 ___________ molecules of ATP are used (for one turn of they cycle, each one below)
Step 2 ___________ molecules of ATP are used
Step 3 ___________ molecules of ATP are used

Now, add together the number of molecules of ATP used for each step = _______.
Multiply this number by 3 (for each turn of the cycle) = __________.

NADPH
Step 1 _________ molecules of NADPH are used (for one turn of they cycle, each one below)
Step 2 __________ molecules of NADP are used
Step 3 __________ molecules of ATP are used

Now, add together the number of molecules of NADPH used for each step = _______.
Multiply this number by 3 (for each turn of the cycle) = __________.

Why do you think that Rubisco is the most abundant enzyme on earth? (In your own words):
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

Write the overall equation for photosynthesis:

Light + ______ + 2H2O  C6H12O6 + ______

Plant species that fix carbon exclusively through the Calvin cycle as known as ______________
____________.

Two alternative pathways for carbon dioxide fixation are the ______ _________________ and
the ________ ______________________.

2
Plants that use these pathways live in what kind of climates? (In your own words):
______________________________________________________________________________

_______________ are the pores in the leaf surface. On hot, dry days these are closed to prevent
the loss of water. But the problem is that when the pores are closed not very much carbon
dioxide can enter the plant. Since carbon dioxide is necessary for photosynthesis this creates a
problem for the plant. Also, when the stomata are closed, ______ cannot escape, and therefore
it builds up inside the plant, inhibiting the Calvin cycle. The alternative pathways exist to help
photosynthesis occur despite low levels of carbon dioxide.

Alternative pathways are ways that the plant can use the low, low levels of carbon dioxide
present when the stomata are closed. Using these low levels, the plant can carry out
photosynthesis.

Using the information above, explain (in your own words) the reason for alternative carbon
fixation pathways:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

In the C4 pathway, carbon dioxide is fixed into _____ -carbon compounds. During the hottest
part of the day, C4 plants have their stomata partially _________________. However, certain
cells have a special _____________ that can fix even low levels of carbon dioxide. In the C4
pathway, a molecule is created that ‘carries’ carbon dioxide to the other cells where the Calvin
cycle functions.

Name two C4 plants: ______________________________ ____________________________

In the CAM pathway, stomata are open during the ______________________ .

3
What makes photosynthesis speed up or slow down? (Rate of photosynthesis):

1. ________________________ 3. __________________________
2. ________________________

Use the space below to draw the Calvin Cycle: