AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -The most common pathway combines one molecule of CO2 with a 5-carbon sugar called ribulose biphosphate (RuBP). The enzyme which catalyzes this reaction (nicknamed RuBisCo) is the most abundant enzyme on earth! The resulting 6-carbon molecule is unstable, so it immediately splits into two 3-carbon molecules.

Detailed explanation-2: -RuBisCO catalyzes a reaction between CO2 and RuBP. For each CO2 molecule that reacts with one RuBP, two molecules of 3-phosphoglyceric acid (3-PGA) form. 3-PGA has three carbons and one phosphate. Each turn of the cycle involves only one RuBP and one carbon dioxide and forms two molecules of 3-PGA.

Detailed explanation-3: -RuBisCO catalyzes a reaction between CO2 and RuBP, which forms a six-carbon compound that is immediately converted into two three-carbon compounds. This process is called carbon fixation, because CO2 is “fixed” from its inorganic form into organic molecules.

Detailed explanation-4: -One ATP is used in the regeneration of RuBP.

Detailed explanation-5: -We know that glucose is a 6-carbon compound, so 6 molecules of carbon dioxide are needed to make one molecule of glucose. Hence, six turns of Calvin Cycle are required to generate one mole of glucose.