Quantum mechanics reveal secrets of photosynthesis in plants!
Quantum mechanics reveal secrets of photosynthesis in plants!
Photosynthesis, a central process of nature, enables plants and other organisms to convert sunlight into chemical energy. This efficient energy conversion is crucial for life on earth and shows a remarkable effectiveness that can achieve over 99 percent, especially in the first steps of the process. In a recent study by the Technical University of Munich (TUM), the role of quantum mechanical effects is examined in this complex mechanism. The research team under the direction of Erika Keil and Prof. Jürgen Hauer considers it essential to understand the quantum mechanical processes that run when the sun is captured in order to explain the efficiency of photosynthesis and possibly reproduce.
The researchers have found that the light absorption in leaves leads to electronic suggestions that are distributed over several conditions. This phenomenon, known as a super position, is the first stage of a practically loss -free energy transfer in the molecules. The results of this study underpin the central role of quantum mechanics in biological systems, such as that can be observed in photosynthesis.
new insights into the energy conversion
In addition to the knowledge of the TUM, researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research provide new insights into the functioning of biochemical systems. Your study, published in the *Journal of the American Chemical Society *, identifies a specific couple of redox-active cofactors-a chlorophyll and a phyophytine molecule-which are responsible for converting the sun lightexitation into a lively state. The investigation shows that the electrostatic field of the surrounding protein has a decisive influence on the direction in which the load separation takes place.These discoveries illustrate that the protein matrix could be more important than the chromophores themselves, which indicates that the arrangement of the molecules in the cell plays an important role in the charging transmission behavior.
The objective of modern science includes the replica of this biological process with synthetic catalysts to develop solar -powered fuels. The basic questions about conversion of sunlight into the electron flow, which drives chemical reactions, do not clarify what underlines the urgency of this research.
quantum mechanics in biological research
Scientists from the University of Tübingen are also active to examine whether bacteria and leaves use quantum mechanical effects for photosynthesis. Your project "A Quantum Beat for Life", funded by the Volkswagen Foundation, aims to observe quantum mechanical effects in living cyanobacteria. These examinations use a Fabry Pérot microresonator that consists of two parallel silver mirrors and in which the feedback of the pronounced light may improve the cooperation of the pigments.
A proof of "extensive quantum behavior" in living organisms would be an important scientific breakthrough and could expand the understanding of evolution and the fundamental principles of life.
The interaction between quantum mechanical processes and organic functioning has the potential to inspire innovative solutions for the development of efficient energy transformers. Such discoveries could help to manage the challenges of modern energy conversion and storage and to deepen the knowledge of life itself.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Ort | München, Deutschland |
| Quellen | |
Kommentare (0)