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C-3 cycle

chemistry
Also known as: C-3 pathway, C3 cycle, Calvin cycle, Calvin-Benson cycle, RPP cycle, reductive pentose phosphate cycle, three-carbon cycle(Show More)

Quick Summary

The C-3 cycle, also known as the Calvin-Benson cycle, is a fundamental process in photosynthesis where plants convert carbon dioxide into sugars. This cycle occurs in the stroma of chloroplasts and uses the chemical energy from ATP and NADPH, produced during the light-dependent reactions. The key step is carbon fixation, where the enzyme RuBisCO attaches carbon dioxide to a five-carbon compound (RuBP). This forms an unstable six-carbon molecule that splits into three-carbon compounds. These compounds are then converted into high-energy sugar molecules, like glucose, which the plant uses for energy and growth. Some of the sugar is recycled to regenerate RuBP, allowing the cycle to continue.1234

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