Bio Unit Two

What are the two things that get sent to the stroma from the thylakoid membrane

ATP NADPH

What individual building blocks link together to form larger biological chains?

Monomers

By what chemical process are single monomer units bound together into long polymer chains?

Polymerization

What are the four main categories of biological polymers?

Carbohydrates, nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids

Which three elements make up carbohydrate molecules?

Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen

Why can simple sugars such as glucose be used by cells for energy almost immediately?

They go straight to cells to produce ATP immediately without needing prior breakdown.

How does the molecular structure of complex carbohydrates differ from that of simple sugars?

Complex carbohydrates consist of many molecules arranged in highly branched chains, whereas simple sugars contain very few molecules.

Why can the human digestive system break down starch but not cellulose?

Humans possess the specific enzymes needed to break the bonds in starch, but lack the enzymes required to break down cellulose.

What primary biological macromolecule controls reaction rates, regulates cellular processes, forms key structures, transports substances, and helps fight disease?

Protein

Which five chemical elements make up protein molecules?

Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur

What single subunit monomer links together to form proteins?

Amino acid

How many essential amino acids must be obtained from food because the body cannot make them?

9 essential amino acids (out of 20 total; the other 11 are synthesized by the body)

Which protein component in red blood cells binds to oxygen and transports it throughout the human body?

Hemoglobin

Which specific enzyme is involved in digesting milk components?

Lactase

What biological catalysts control and speed up the rate of chemical reactions in living organisms?

Enzymes

What are the two primary biological functions of carbohydrates?

Storing and using energy, and building cellular structures

What key biological functions are performed by proteins?

Forming cellular structures, moving molecules, controlling reaction rates, and supporting the immune system

What primary biological function do nucleic acids serve?

Storing genetic information and hereditary traits

What single subunit blocks are chemically bound together to form polymers?

Monomers

What chemical process binds individual monomer units together into long polymer chains?

Polymerization

What chemical reaction occurs when light strikes Photosystem II in the thylakoid membrane?

Water ($2H_2O$) is split into oxygen ($O_2$), hydrogen ions ($4H^+$), and electrons ($4e^-$).

By what transport mechanism do hydrogen ions ($H^+$) accumulate inside the thylakoid lumen?

Active transport moves hydrogen ions against their concentration gradient into the thylakoid interior.

What product is formed when re-energized electrons enter NADP+?

$NADP^+$ gains electrons to become $NADPH$, which carries high-energy electrons to the Calvin Cycle.

How does $ATP$ synthase generate $ATP$ during the light-dependent reactions?

As hydrogen ions ($H^+$) exit the thylakoid through $ATP$ synthase, a phosphate group is added to $ADP$.

What occurs during Phase 1 (Carbon Fixation) of the Calvin Cycle?

Carbon dioxide attaches to RuBP and uses energy from ATP

What are the three main phases of the light-independent Calvin Cycle?

Phase 1: Carbon Fixation, Phase 2: Reduction, and Phase 3: Regeneration.