Cellular Respiration Vocab

Krebbs Cycle

cycle used to make CO2, ATP, NADH, and FADH2 using pyruvate, NAD+, and FAD. the enzymes used for this cycle are kinase, dehydrogenase, phosphorylation

aerobic

requiring oxygen

anaerobic

not requiring oxygen

oxidative phosphorylation

connected reactions of the proton pumps and the flow of H+ back through ATPsynthase. this is the final step in cellular respiration

alcohol fermentation

type of anaerobic fermentation used to recycle NADH to NAD+, while also producing ethanol and CO2

acetyl CoA

this is what pyruvate becomes before entering the Krebbs Cycle. it’s being oxidized (prepared) and turned into this

cellular respiration

how a cell/organelle is able to make ATP energy

redox reactants

describes the reactants that either gain or lose an electron, thus making them more o_____ or r______

ATP synthase

an enzyme that synthesizes ATP by putting together ADP + P

substrate-level phosphorylation

ATP is being made without using oxygen or the ETC

lactic acid fermentation 

type of fermentation where pyruvate is turned into lactic acid (humans do this when there is little to no oxygen present and ATP is needed) 

oxidation

a proton loses an electron making it less negative

glycolysis

the process of breaking sugar/glucose. it harvests energy, and every cell type can do this

Catabolism 

the energy releaser that breaks down the glucose in glycolysis and turns it into ATP 

reduction

gains an e- making it more negative

chemiosmosis

diffusion of ions across a membrane. it’s a build up of the proton gradient so that H can flow through the ATPsynthase enzyme to build ATP

NAD+/NADH

electron carriers. one is empty the other has an electron in it 

proton motive force

a hydrogen atom without an electron (H+). this describes the gradient between the innermembrane space and the matrix

proton gradient

the difference in H+ concentration across a membrane. this describes the difference between a high H+ concentration outside of the matrix vs a low H+ concentration inside the matrix

photosynthesis

the process of converting solar energy into chemical energy and ATP 

autotrophs

organisms that can produce their own energy (made by themselves), convert energy of sunlight and turn it into chemical energy

cyclic eletron flow
cyclic photophosporylation

if the photosystem 1 cannot pass an electron to NADP, it will cycle back to photosystem 2 and make ATP energy, but no NADPH

hetertrophs 

organisms that eat organic things made by other organisms/molecules. this makes energy through cellular respiration 

chlorophyll

the pigments that allow for plants to absorb light to do photosynthesis

absorption spectrum

spectrum that shows which wavelength (colors) absorb light the best

mesophyll cells 

cells found in a leaf that have chloroplasts which help carry out photosynthesis (found in the middle of the leaf) 

chlorophyll a

the primary pigment that absorbs the most amount of light during photosynthesis

RuBiSco

Carbon fixer. collects CO2 from the air and fixes it onto a RuBp molecule

Stroma

fluid-filled space around the thylakoid. it’s in the chloroplast, and this is where the Calvin cycle takes place

Chlorophyll B

an accessory pigment that helps absorb light during photosynthesis. this gives the plant a yellow-green color

Photorespiration

O2 levels get too high, and RuBisco starts breaking sugars, causing there to be no gain in ATP energy 

light reactions

reactions where solar energy and water is turned into chemical energy (oxygen)

accessory pigments

absorbs lights of different wavelengths for different structures in plants

C4 Plants 

plants that use a carbon-fixation pathway in order to reduce photorespiration. these plants usually thrive in warmer, dryer environments 

Calvin Cycle

opposite of the Krebbs cycle. the goal is to turn CO2 into glucose

bundle-sheath cells 

special plant cells that surround the leaf veins. they play a big role in C4 photosynthesis

Stomata 

tiny pores on the outside of a leaf that allow for gas exchanges in a plant 

Action spectrum

shows which wavelengths of light are most effective at driving photosynthesis to happen

C3 Plants

plants that typically only rely on the Calvin Cycle. These plants thrive best in moist, cool, moderate-light environments

NADP+/NADPH

electron carriers for plants during the Calvin Cycle, ETC, and photosynthesis 

Reaction center chlorophyll

the specific chlorophyll a molecule that gets excited by light and releases energized electrons to the electron transport chain

Photophosphorylation

making ATP using light reactions 

carbon fixation 

stage in the Calvin Cycle where the Rubisco grabs CO2 out of the air and adds it to an existing RuBp molecule 

PEP carboxylase

another CO2 fixing enzyme that is used by C4 plants. this is much more efficient for them than Rubisco

Photosystem 1

a light-capturing system that stores the low-energy electrons. this is where the ETC of photosynthesis starts

Photosystem 2

also stores electrons in the ETC for photosynthesis (2nd one)

CAM plants 

plants that are adapted to hot, dry environments. they open their stromata at night to conserve water 

Thylakoid Membrane

The internal membrane inside of the chloroplast where light-based reactions occur in photosynthesis