Hill reaction
Quick Summary
The Hill reaction is a light-dependent process in photosynthesis where chloroplasts transfer electrons, leading to the splitting of water molecules and the release of oxygen. This discovery was made by British biochemist Robert Hill around 1940. He found that isolated green particles from broken cells could produce oxygen from water when exposed to light and a chemical compound that could accept electrons, like ferric oxalate.12
This process is crucial for understanding photosynthesis, as it isolates the light-dependent reactions. Later research refined these procedures, allowing for the study of isolated chloroplast membranes performing the Hill reaction and even the complete photosynthetic process.2
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
