Topic_6_and_7_Notes(Unit3)

Cellular Respiration

The process by which cells harvest chemical energy from organic molecules to generate ATP.

ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)

The primary energy carrier in cellular respiration.

Mitochondria

Organelles that serve as the site of ATP production through cellular respiration.

Glycolysis

The first stage of cellular respiration where glucose is split into pyruvate.

Pyruvate

The result of glycolysis; it can be further oxidized in the presence of oxygen.

Citric Acid Cycle (Krebs Cycle)

The second stage of cellular respiration that processes acetyl CoA to produce NADH and ATP.

Oxidative Phosphorylation

The final stage of cellular respiration that produces ATP through the electron transport chain and chemiosmosis.

Electron Transport Chain (ETC)

A sequence of proteins within the mitochondrial membrane that transfers electrons and pumps protons to generate ATP.

NADH

A coenzyme that carries electrons during cellular respiration.

FADH2

A coenzyme similar to NADH, it also carries electrons used in the electron transport chain.

Oxygen

The final electron acceptor in the electron transport chain.

Anaerobic Respiration

ATP production in the absence of oxygen using alternative electron acceptors.

Fermentation

A metabolic process that generates ATP without an electron transport chain.

Lactic Acid Fermentation

A type of fermentation where pyruvate is converted into lactic acid.

Alcohol Fermentation

A type of fermentation where pyruvate is converted into ethanol and carbon dioxide.

Proton Gradient

A difference in the concentration of protons (H+) across the mitochondrial membrane that drives ATP synthesis.

Chemiosmosis

The process by which ATP is produced using the energy from a proton gradient.

Acetyl CoA

Molecule formed from pyruvate that enters the citric acid cycle.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

A byproduct of cellular respiration released during the citric acid cycle and pyruvate oxidation.

Heat

A form of energy released during cellular respiration, often accompanying ATP production.

Dehydrogenases

Enzymes that aid in the oxidation of glucose by transferring electrons to NAD+.

Redox Reactions

Chemical reactions that involve the transfer of electrons between substances.

Net Energy Yield

The total amount of ATP produced minus the ATP used in the investment phase of glycolysis.

Intermembrane Space

The space between the inner and outer mitochondrial membranes, crucial for establishing a proton gradient.

Cristae

Folded structures in the inner mitochondrial membrane that increase the surface area for ATP production.

OIL RIG

A mnemonic for oxidation (loss of electrons) is loss and reduction (gain of electrons) is gain.

Final Electron Acceptor

The molecule that accepts electrons at the end of the electron transport chain; usually oxygen.

Phosphorylation

The addition of a phosphate group to ADP to form ATP, often facilitated by ATP synthase.