What would be the effect on the pH of the thylakoid lumen if a chloroplast is illuminated and then transferred to darkness, assuming all other conditions are stable?

4 views 0 helpful Updated Jul 29, 2026
Appears in NEET UG
Solution ✔ Verified
  • ApH would decrease, then increase.
  • BpH would increase, then decrease.
  • CpH would remain stable due to buffering.
  • DpH would only decrease in darkness.
Explanation

During illumination, the light reactions cause protons to be pumped into the thylakoid lumen (from water splitting and cytochrome b6f complex), leading to a decrease in lumen pH. When transferred to darkness, proton pumping stops, and the protons gradually flow out of the lumen through ATP synthase, causing the pH of the lumen to increase back towards neutrality.

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