Cellular Respiration Study Guide

These flashcards cover key concepts related to cellular respiration, glycolysis, fermentation, and the Krebs cycle, aiming to help students understand the metabolic pathways and processes involved in energy production.

Mitochondria

Known as the powerhouse of the cell; site of ATP production.

Cellular Respiration

Process by which food is converted into energy in the form of ATP.

Glycolysis

The first stage of cellular respiration where glucose is broken down into 2 pyruvates.

Anaerobic

Processes that do not require oxygen, such as glycolysis.

Krebs Cycle

Also known as the Citric Acid Cycle; fully oxidizes acetyl-CoA to harvest high-energy electrons.

NADH

Reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide; electron carrier that donates electrons in the electron transport chain.

ATP Synthase

Enzyme that synthesizes ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate during chemiosmosis.

Fermentation

Anaerobic process to regenerate NAD⁺ by reducing pyruvate.

Substrate-level phosphorylation

Direct transfer of a phosphate group to ADP to form ATP, occurring in glycolysis and the Krebs cycle.

Oxidative Phosphorylation

Process that generates ATP using the electron transport chain and chemiosmosis, capturing energy released from electrons.

Electron Transport Chain

A series of proteins in the inner mitochondrial membrane that uses electrons to pump protons and create a gradient.

Lactic Acid Fermentation

Type of fermentation that occurs in human muscle cells when oxygen is low, converting pyruvate to lactate.

Alcohol Fermentation

Type of fermentation that occurs in yeast, converting pyruvate to ethanol and CO₂.

Deamination

The removal of an amino group from amino acids, converting them into Acetyl-CoA.

Beta Oxidation

The process of breaking down fatty acids into 2-carbon Acetyl-CoA units.