Energy flow vocab

What is metabolism?

The sum of all chemical reactions in an organism.

What is the difference between catabolic and anabolic reactions?

Catabolic reactions break down molecules for energy, while anabolic reactions build complex molecules from simpler ones.

What is activation energy?

The minimum energy required for a chemical reaction to occur.

What are reactants/substrates in a chemical reaction?

The starting materials that undergo a chemical change.

What is a product in a chemical reaction?

The substances formed as a result of a chemical reaction.

What is the difference between endothermic and exothermic reactions?

Endothermic reactions absorb energy, while exothermic reactions release energy.

What is an enzyme?

A biological catalyst that speeds up chemical reactions in living organisms.

What is the active site of an enzyme?

The region on the enzyme where the substrate binds and the reaction occurs.

What is denaturation in relation to enzymes?

The process in which an enzyme loses its functional shape due to environmental changes, rendering it inactive.

What does ATP stand for and what is its role?

Adenosine triphosphate; it is the primary energy carrier in cells.

What is chemiosmosis?

The movement of ions across a selectively permeable membrane, driving ATP synthesis.

What is the role of producers in an ecosystem?

Organisms that produce their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.

What is the role of consumers in an ecosystem?

Organisms that obtain energy by consuming other organisms.

What is a detritivore?

An organism that feeds on dead organic matter.

What is a carnivore?

An organism that primarily eats other animals.

What is an omnivore?

An organism that eats both plants and animals.

What is photosynthesis?

The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the help of chlorophyll.

What are grana?

Stacks of thylakoids in chloroplasts where the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis occur.

What is stroma in the context of chloroplasts?

The fluid-filled space surrounding the thylakoids where the light-independent reactions occur.

What is chlorophyll?

The green pigment found in plants that absorbs light energy for photosynthesis.

What are photosystems?

Complexes of proteins and pigments that capture light energy during photosynthesis.

What are electron carriers?

Molecules that transport electrons during cellular respiration and photosynthesis.

What is chemosynthesis?

The process by which certain organisms use chemical energy to produce food, typically in the absence of sunlight.

What are stomata?

Small openings on the surface of leaves that allow for gas exchange.

What is photorespiration?

A process in plants where the enzyme RuBisCO oxygenates RuBP, leading to a decrease in photosynthetic efficiency.

What is cellular respiration?

The process by which cells convert glucose and oxygen into energy, carbon dioxide, and water.

What is the inner membrane of mitochondria?

The membrane that encloses the mitochondrial matrix and is involved in ATP production.

What is the matrix in mitochondria?

The space within the inner membrane of mitochondria where the Krebs cycle occurs.

What is aerobic respiration?

The process of producing cellular energy in the presence of oxygen.

What is anaerobic respiration?

The process of producing cellular energy without oxygen.

What is fermentation?

A metabolic process that converts sugar to acids, gases, or alcohol in the absence of oxygen.