1)Carbon fixation is the initial incorporation of carbon dioxide into organic material 3 CO2 + 3 ribulose biphosphate-aka-RuBP (in the presence of the most abundant protein in chloroplasts: rubisco--aka RuBP carboxylase)6 3-phosphoglycerates (immediately broken down from a 6 C because of instability)

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2)Reduction (for one rotation of the cycle there is one net gain of G3P)

6 ATP give 6 phosphate groups or an extra phosphate to each 3PG (a fancy abbr. for a certain type of carbon skeleton in the Calvin Cycle) then 6 pairs of electrons from 6 NADPH reduce the carboxyl group of 3PG to the carbonyl group of G3P (which holds more energy)

3)Regeneration of the CO2 acceptor RuBP

5 G3P with 3 ATP 3-5 RuBP

Next:  "Exceptions."