Glucose Metabolism and Cellular Respiration

This set of flashcards covers the vocabulary regarding the stages of cellular respiration, the coenzymes involved, and the net energy production from glucose.

ATP

The fuel currency of the cell, which is the form that energy must be in for cells to be able to use it.

Aerobic metabolism

The process of glucose metabolism that occurs when oxygen is present, also known as cellular respiration.

Anaerobic metabolism

A process of extracting energy from glucose without the presence of oxygen, yielding only $2$ ATP NET per glucose molecule.

Glycolysis

The first step of glucose breakdown that occurs in the cytoplasm and does not require oxygen, meaning to separate or break glucose.

Pyruvate

A substance produced at the end of glycolysis (also called pyruvic acid) where one glucose molecule is converted into two units.

Transition reaction

The irreversible second stage of cellular respiration occurring in the mitochondria where pyruvate is converted into acetyl CoA.

Citric acid cycle

The third stage of cellular respiration, also known as the Krebs cycle or TCA cycle, which occurs in the mitochondria and produces $2$ ATP per glucose molecule.

Electron transport chain

The fourth stage of cellular respiration involving a series of molecules in the mitochondria where reduced coenzymes donate electrons to produce about $28$ ATP.

Oxidative phosphorylation

The specific name for the way ATP is produced in the electron transport chain, powered by oxidation and reduction reactions.

NAD+

A coenzyme derived from the B vitamin niacin that picks up electrons to become reduced to $\text{NADH} + \text{H}^+$.

FAD

A coenzyme derived from a B vitamin that carries electrons and is reduced to $FADH_2$ during the citric acid cycle.

Acetyl CoA

The molecule formed from pyruvate during the transition reaction that enters the citric acid cycle.

Oxygen

The final electron acceptor at the bottom of the electron transport chain that reacts with electrons and hydrogen ions to form $H_2O$.

CO2

A waste product, also known as carbon dioxide, produced during the transition reaction and citric acid cycle that is moved to the lungs for exhalation.

H2O

The byproduct (water) formed at the end of the electron transport chain when oxygen accepts electrons and hydrogen ions.

Phosphorylation

The process of adding a phosphate group onto $\text{ADP}$ in order to form $\text{ATP}$.

Catabolize

The process of breaking down food molecules to transfer energy over to ATP.