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PDF to Study Notes

Bring a lecture PDF, textbook extract or handout into a notebook you can review, style and print. Keep the extracted wording or ask for source-grounded AI study notes.

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Free account required for your own saved notebooks. Try the example below.

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Compare sample source material with its notebook pages and download the example PDF.

photosynthesis-notes.mdYour material, as pasted
# The big picture
Photosynthesis lets plants turn light energy into chemical energy stored in sugars.

# Inside the leaf
A leaf is a tiny solar-powered workshop. Its structure helps it capture light, exchange gases, and turn energy into something the plant can use.

## Meet the chloroplast
> [!DEFINITION]
> Chloroplasts are the organelles where photosynthesis takes place. They contain chlorophyll, the pigment that absorbs light.

## Two stages, one process
**Light-dependent reactions:** Light energy is absorbed by chlorophyll, splitting water molecules and releasing oxygen, while converting light energy into chemical energy.

**The Calvin cycle:** Uses the chemical energy from the first stage to fix carbon dioxide into glucose, a sugar the plant can use for growth and energy.

> [!TIP] Key takeaway
> Photosynthesis links light energy to life, through a remarkable series of steps inside the leaf.

# Light to energy
The overall equation connects carbon dioxide, water, light, glucose, and oxygen.

$$6\,CO_2 + 6\,H_2O \xrightarrow{\text{light}} C_6H_{12}O_6 + 6\,O_2$$

> [!EXAMPLE]
> Pondweed placed in bright light gives off small bubbles of oxygen.

# A quick recap
Chlorophyll captures light. The light-dependent reactions release oxygen. The Calvin cycle helps build sugars.

> [!WARNING] Common mistake
> Plants respire day and night. Photosynthesis does not replace respiration.
The quiet work of photosynthesisPage 1 · same words, arranged automaticallySample PDFRestyle it

How to use pdf to study notes in NotePetal

  1. Upload and select pages

    Use a PDF up to 20 MB and select up to 50 pages. Focus on the chapter or lecture you want to study.

  2. Review the source

    Check reading order, equations and extraction warnings. Scanned pages use OCR after you agree to processing.

  3. Arrange your notes

    Keep your wording or create AI study notes. Choose a page style and export a searchable PDF.

Text PDFs and scanned PDFs need different handling

A PDF with selectable text can usually be imported directly. A scan stores the page as an image, so recognizing its words requires OCR. Mixed PDFs can contain both kinds of pages; review the extraction warnings before you continue.

Multi-column readings, slide footers and complex mathematical notation can produce text in an unexpected order. Check important names, units, equations and captions against the original. Supported figures are retained as captioned images rather than recreated as editable diagrams.

Choose between preserving wording and making study notes

Keep my wording arranges the extracted text without asking AI to rewrite it. It suits material where precise definitions, quotations or instructions matter. Formatting changes the page structure, but you remain in control of the wording.

Create study notes uses AI to condense and organize the reviewed material. Passages keep source references so you can check the result against your reading. A summary still needs review: make sure exceptions, qualifications and steps in a worked example have survived.

Combine your PDF with lecture notes

You can combine up to 10 files and pastes in one notebook. Add your own lecture notes beside a textbook extract, or bring in a Word handout and a relevant diagram. Source references identify the material each passage came from.

Split the finished notebook into clear topics, choose flow or Cornell pages, and use the Study tab for flashcards and questions. Export notes, a quiz with a separate answer key, or a revision sheet from the same material.

Frequently asked questions

Is PDF to notes free?

The free plan supports notebooks and PDF export within its limits. AI study notes use an AI generation, while scanned-page recognition uses OCR allowance. See Plans for current monthly amounts.

How large can my PDF be?

A file can be up to 20 MB. Select up to 50 PDF pages and keep the reviewed source text within 100,000 characters.

Can I upload a scanned textbook page?

Yes, supported scanned pages can use hosted OCR after you agree to processing. Recognition can make mistakes, so review the extracted text before arranging it.

Are uploaded PDFs public?

Uploaded files and notebooks are private to your account. A read-only notebook is accessible to others only if you create and share a link.

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