Biology Lecture Notes: Cellular Transport and Metabolism

A collection of flashcards covering key terms related to cellular transport, metabolic pathways, and membrane structure.

Diffusion

The process by which molecules move from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration.

Facilitated Diffusion

A type of passive transport that uses transport proteins to move substances across a cell membrane.

Glycolysis

The metabolic pathway that converts glucose into pyruvate, producing ATP and NADH.

Fermentation

An anaerobic process that allows cells to produce energy without oxygen, typically resulting in byproducts like ethanol or lactic acid.

Osmolarity

A measure of the total concentration of solute particles in a solution.

Tonicity

The ability of a solution to cause a cell to gain or lose water.

Hypertonic

A solution that has a higher concentration of solutes compared to the cytoplasm of a cell, leading to cell shrinkage.

Isotonic

A solution with an equal concentration of solutes compared to the cytoplasm of a cell, resulting in no net water movement.

Hypotonic

A solution that has a lower concentration of solutes compared to the cytoplasm of a cell, potentially causing the cell to swell.

Phospholipids

Molecules that make up the cell membrane, consisting of hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic tails.

Transport Proteins

Proteins that assist in moving substances across the cell membrane.

Citric Acid Cycle

A series of enzymatic reactions that produce energy through the oxidation of acetyl-CoA.

ATP Synthase

An enzyme that synthesizes ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate during cellular respiration.

Reducing Agents

Substances that donate electrons in a chemical reaction, thereby reducing another substance.