Chloroplast

Definition

Chloroplasts are organelles found in plant cells and eukaryotic algae that conduct photosynthesis, where the photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll captures the energy from sunlight, converts it, and stores it in the energy-storage molecules ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and NADPH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate) while freeing oxygen from water.

Related terms

Stroma:

The fluid-filled space inside the chloroplast but outside the thylakoid membranes. It's like the factory floor where carbon dioxide is converted into sugar.

Granum: A stack of thylakoids within the chloroplast. They're like individual solar panels within our solar power plant.

Chlorophyll:

The green pigment located within the chloroplasts. This is like the actual solar cells that capture sunlight in our solar power plant analogy.