1. Energy from the Sun ejects electrons from chlorophyll and splits water molecules to yield hydrogen ions.
Pigments inside the photosystems absorb light energy. Energy is transferred to reaction center, where electron is boosted at higher level. Electron is then passed to an acceptor molecule, replaced with an electron from H2O. and O2 is released.
2. Electrons move down the electron transport chain, releasing energy that pumps hydrogen ions into the thylakoid space
Electron releases energy because it goes from a higher to a lower energy level.
3. The concentration of hydrogen ions in the thylakoid space increase
Released energy of electrons drives pumping of hydrogen ions from the stroma into the thylakoid interior, building a proton gradient.
4. Hydrogen ions diffuse across the thylakoid membrane into the stroma through ATP synthase.
The only way for hydrogen ions to move down the gradient is through ATP synthase.
5. ATP synthase uses the energy released as hydrogen ions move from regions of high concentration to regions of low concentration to make ATP.
ATP synthase is an enzyme that use proton gradient to make ATP from ADP and Pi.
