- #1
1MileCrash
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"Photosystem I transfers electrons to NADP+, reducing it to NADPH."
This is mentioned many times in my textbook, in other examples besides photosynthesis. NADP+ reduced into NADPH.
I agree that receiving an electron is a reduction. But how does receiving electrons turn NADP+ to NADPH? That looks to me like it received a proton judging by chemical makeup..but how can NADP+ with a positive charge accept a H+ ion and then be neutral?
So its receiving electrons and being reduced, so how does that equal NADPH?
It's just not making much sense to me, and I'm not the "accept it and keep reading" type, I want to understand everything.
EDIT: So I did some thinking...
I totally get that NADP+ receiving an electron results in a neutrally charged molecule. I also was previously under the misconception that NADPH contained "one more hydrogen" than NADP+, which I'm starting to get simply isn't the case. NADP+ and NADPH have the same number of protons, but NADPH has one more electron. And this results in us naming it with another H? The addition of an electron? Is this a common practice in chemistry?
This is mentioned many times in my textbook, in other examples besides photosynthesis. NADP+ reduced into NADPH.
I agree that receiving an electron is a reduction. But how does receiving electrons turn NADP+ to NADPH? That looks to me like it received a proton judging by chemical makeup..but how can NADP+ with a positive charge accept a H+ ion and then be neutral?
So its receiving electrons and being reduced, so how does that equal NADPH?
It's just not making much sense to me, and I'm not the "accept it and keep reading" type, I want to understand everything.
EDIT: So I did some thinking...
I totally get that NADP+ receiving an electron results in a neutrally charged molecule. I also was previously under the misconception that NADPH contained "one more hydrogen" than NADP+, which I'm starting to get simply isn't the case. NADP+ and NADPH have the same number of protons, but NADPH has one more electron. And this results in us naming it with another H? The addition of an electron? Is this a common practice in chemistry?