Bioenergetics Study Flashcards

These flashcards cover key concepts from bioenergetics, including photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and metabolic pathways.

What is the rate of photosynthesis proportional to?

The rate of photosynthesis is directly proportional to the CO₂ consumed or O₂ released.

What is the function of NAD and NADP in cellular reactions?

They act as intermediates in cellular reactions involving electron transfer.

What happens when NAD or NADP gains electrons?

They become reduced to form NADH or NADPH, often represented as NADH + H*.

What is ubiquinone?

Ubiquinone is a small molecule soluble in lipids and insoluble in water, involved in the electron transport chain.

What are the products of the light reactions in photosynthesis?

The products are ATP, NADPH₂, and oxygen.

What role does carbon dioxide play in photosynthesis?

Carbon dioxide acts as a carbon source for the synthesis of organic compounds.

What is the Calvin Cycle?

The Calvin Cycle is the series of chemical reactions in photosynthesis that converts CO₂ into glucose.

What is lactic acid fermentation?

A process where glucose is converted into lactic acid using NADH, occurring in anaerobic conditions.

What is the significance of PGAL in metabolism?

PGAL (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate) is essential for both glycolysis and the Calvin cycle.

What is oxidative phosphorylation?

The production of ATP by transferring electrons through an electron transport chain in the presence of oxygen.

What does substrate level phosphorylation mean?

It refers to the direct enzymatic transfer of a phosphate group to ADP to form ATP.

Who proposed the hypothesis that plants split water as a hydrogen source during photosynthesis?

Van Niel proposed the hypothesis in 1930.

What is chemiosmosis?

Chemiosmosis is the movement of ions across a semipermeable membrane, specifically the movement of protons to produce ATP.

What does the action spectrum of photosynthesis display?

The effectiveness of different wavelengths of light for stimulating photosynthesis.

What is the role of carotenoids in plants?

Carotenoids act as accessory pigments, absorbing light and protecting chlorophyll from excessive light.