Cellular Respiration and Photosynthesis

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary and concepts related to cellular respiration and photosynthesis as studied in General Biology.

Photosynthesis

The process by which solar energy is converted into chemical energy in the form of sugars and carbohydrates.

Autotroph

An organism that produces its own food.

Photoautotroph

An organism that uses sunlight and carbon to produce food.

Heterotroph

An organism that eats other organisms.

Cellular Respiration

The reverse of photosynthesis, used to break down sugar into usable energy.

ATP (Adenosine triphosphate)

The molecule that provides energy to power reactions within the cell.

Glycolysis

The process of breaking down glucose from food to release energy for use in cells.

Citric Acid Cycle (Krebs Cycle)

A stage in cellular respiration within the mitochondria where energy is extracted and CO2 waste is produced.

Electron Transport

A stage where electrons from NADH and FADH2 are used to pump hydrogen across the membrane, generating ATP.

Fermentation

A biochemical process that derives energy from carbohydrates without the need for oxygen.

Pyruvic Acid

The end product of glycolysis that is converted into Acetyl CoA for further processing in cellular respiration.

NADH

A carrier molecule that transports electrons during cellular respiration.

FADH2

Another electron carrier produced in the Citric Acid Cycle.

Acetyl CoA

The molecule formed from pyruvic acid that enters the Citric Acid Cycle.

Anaerobic Respiration

A type of cellular respiration that occurs without oxygen.