Describe the reactions involved in the light-independent reaction (LIR)

The LIR is made up of three stages, known as the Calvin cycle. The first stage is carbon fixation. To start, the enzyme RuBISCO (Ribulose Bisphosphate Carboxylase Oxygenase) catalyses the reaction between three CO₂ molecules and three of the 5 carbon compound called RuBP (Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate). This forms three, 6 carbon compounds which are very unstable, so break into six, 3 carbon compounds. These 3 carbon compounds are called 3-PGA (3-phosphoglyceric acid). The second stage of the Calvin Cycle is reduction. In this stage, the six 3-PGA molecules are converted into six, three carbon sugar molecules called G3P (3-phosphoglycerate or glycerate 3-phosphate). This reaction requires 6NADPH and 6ATP. The NADPH becomes NADP⁺ and along with the ADP formed from ATP, they are then transported to be used in the LDR. One of the G3P molecules leaves the cycle to be converted into glucose of another organic compound. The remaining five G3P continue in the cycle. The final stage of the Calvin Cycle is regeneration where RuBP is remade with the use of ATP, so that the cycle can continue.