Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video
Multiple Choice
How many cycles of the Calvin cycle are required to produce one molecule of glucose?
A
12 cycles
B
6 cycles
C
3 cycles
D
18 cycles
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the Calvin cycle: The Calvin cycle is a series of biochemical reactions that occur in the stroma of chloroplasts in photosynthetic organisms. It is part of the process of photosynthesis and is responsible for fixing carbon dioxide into organic molecules.
Identify the main product of the Calvin cycle: The primary product of the Calvin cycle is glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G3P), a three-carbon sugar molecule.
Determine the number of G3P molecules needed to form glucose: Glucose is a six-carbon sugar molecule. To form one molecule of glucose, two molecules of G3P are required.
Calculate the number of cycles needed to produce G3P: Each cycle of the Calvin cycle fixes one molecule of carbon dioxide and produces one molecule of G3P. Therefore, three cycles are needed to produce one molecule of G3P.
Calculate the total number of cycles needed for glucose: Since two G3P molecules are needed to form one glucose molecule, and each G3P requires three cycles, a total of six cycles of the Calvin cycle are required to produce one molecule of glucose.