Name the group of biological catalysts which control photosynthesis.

• A. Carbohydrates
• B. Enzymes
• C. Pigments
• D. Nucleic acids

Answer: (B)

Enzymes are the biological catalysts that drive photosynthesis. They are proteins that speed up the chemical reactions inside the plant, lowering the energy barrier so the reactions can happen efficiently at normal cellular conditions. In the light-dependent reactions, enzymes help split water, transfer electrons, and synthesize ATP and NADPH. In the Calvin cycle, enzymes like Rubisco catalyze carbon fixation, attaching carbon dioxide to a five-carbon sugar to build organic molecules. Pigments such as chlorophyll are crucial for capturing light energy, but they do not catalyse the chemical changes themselves. Carbohydrates are the products formed, not the catalysts, and nucleic acids store genetic information rather than speeding up these reactions.