Cellular Respiration and Fermentation

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to cellular respiration and fermentation processes, as outlined in the lecture notes.

Cellular Respiration

The process by which cells convert organic molecules into energy (ATP) using oxygen.

Glycolysis

The breakdown of glucose into pyruvate, producing a small amount of ATP.

Fermentation

A metabolic process that converts sugar to acids, gases, or alcohol in the absence of oxygen.

Aerobic Respiration

A form of respiration that requires oxygen and produces a large amount of ATP.

Anaerobic Respiration

Respiration that occurs without oxygen and produces less ATP compared to aerobic respiration.

Citric Acid Cycle (Krebs Cycle)

A series of chemical reactions used by all aerobic organisms to generate energy through the oxidation of acetyl-CoA.

Oxidative Phosphorylation

The final stage of cellular respiration, where ATP is produced using energy derived from the electron transport chain.

NAD+

A coenzyme that functions as an electron carrier in cellular respiration, being reduced to NADH.

Redox Reactions

Chemical reactions involving the transfer of electrons, where oxidation and reduction occur simultaneously.

Proton Motive Force

The force that drives protons across a membrane, used to produce ATP in the process of chemiosmosis.

ATP Synthase

An enzyme that produces ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate using a proton gradient.

Dehydrogenase

An enzyme that catalyzes the removal of hydrogen atoms from a substrate during metabolic reactions.

Substrate-level Phosphorylation

A method of producing ATP by the direct transferring of a phosphate group to ADP.

Feedback Inhibition

A regulatory mechanism in which an end product of a metabolic pathway inhibits an earlier step to prevent excess production.