A specific chemical inhibitor completely blocks the functioning of the photosystem whose reaction centre has an absorption maximum at 680 nm. Which of the following physiological processes will be directly and immediately halted as a result?

Step-by-step solution

The photosystem with an absorption maximum at 680 nm is Photosystem II (PS II). PS II is physically associated with the water-splitting complex located on the inner side of the thylakoid membrane. This complex is responsible for the photolysis of water, which releases electrons, protons, and oxygen. Therefore, blocking PS II directly halts the splitting of water and the subsequent evolution of oxygen. Cyclic photophosphorylation and ATP synthesis in stroma lamellae are mediated solely by Photosystem I (PS I), which