Patterns of Inheritance - The Work of Gregor Mendel

CP Biology B

Autotroph

an organism that is able to capture energy from sunlight or inorganic chemicals and use it to produce its own food molecules; also called a producer

Adenosine Diphosphate (ADP)

a molecule generated by cells in a cycle of ATP use.  ADP has only 2 phosphate groups and a lower energy state than ATP

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)

A molecule that provides energy for cellular reactions and processes. ATP releases energy when one of its high-energy bonds is broken to release a phosphate group.

Energy Transformation 

Biological processes that transform matter and energy into living cellular systems ex. photosynthesis, cellular respiration, fermentation

Heterotroph

organism that obtains its own food molecules by consuming other living things; also called a consumer

Calvin Cycle

reaction of photosynthesis in which energy from ATP and electrons from NADPH are used to bond carbon dioxide together to make sugars.

Chlorophyll

main photosynthetic pigment of plants and other photosynthetic organisms such as green algae.

Chloroplast

organelle found in cells and plants that captures energy from sunlight and converts it into chemical energy.

Light-dependent reactions

set of reactions in photosynthesis that do not require light energy (see Calvin Cycle).

NADP+

carrier molecule that transfers high energy electrons from chlorophyll in the light-dependent reactions to the Calvin cycle

Photosynthesis

process used by plants and other autotrophs to capture light energy and use it to convert carbon dioxide into molecules of sugar.

Pigment

light-absorbing molecules used by photosynthetic autotrophs to gather the sun’s energy.

Photosystem

cluster of chlorophyll and proteins found in thylakoid membranes

Stroma

fluid portion of the inner chloroplast environment; outside the thylakoids

Thylakoid

sac-like photosynthetic membranes found in chloroplasts

Aerobic

process that requires oxygen gas.

Anaerobic

process that does not require oxygen gas

Cellular Respiration

process that releases energy by breaking down food molecules in the presence of oxygen

Electron Transport Chain

series of electron carrier proteins that transports high-energy electrons during ATP-generating reactions

Glycolysis

first set of reactions in cellular respiration in which a molecule of glucose is broken into 2 molecules of pyruvic acid

Krebs Cycle

second stage of cellular respiration in which pyruvic acid  is broken down into carbon dioxide in a series of energy-extracting reactions

Lactic Acid Fermentation

process by which cells make some ATP in the absence of oxygen, generating lactic acid as a byproduct

Matrix

the innermost space in a mitochondrion; site of the Krebs cycle reactions

Mitochondria

cell organelle that converts the chemical energy stored in food molecules into ATP

NAD +

an electron carrier involved in cellular respiration