Biology

The light-dependent reactions occur in the thylakoid membranes of the chloroplasts.

First, light energy is absorbed by chlorophyll and other pigments in the thylakoid membranes. When light strikes these pigments, it excites electrons within the pigment molecules. This is the initial step as light provides the energy source for the subsequent reactions.

After the electrons are excited, they are passed through an electron transport chain. To replace the excited electrons, water molecules are split in a process called photolysis. The reaction for water splitting is

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