Cellular Respiration: Harvesting Chemical Energy

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to cellular respiration, providing definitions and explanations to aid in understanding and revising the material.

Cellular Respiration

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

Glycolysis

The first stage of cellular respiration that breaks down glucose into two molecules of pyruvate, producing a small amount of ATP in the process.

Krebs Cycle (Citric Acid Cycle)

The second stage of cellular respiration that takes place in the mitochondria, oxidizing acetyl CoA to produce NADH, FADH2, and ATP.

Oxidative Phosphorylation

The third stage of cellular respiration where the majority of ATP is generated using the electron transport chain and chemiosmosis.

ATP

Adenosine triphosphate, the primary energy carrier in cells.

ADP

Adenosine diphosphate, the product formed when ATP loses one phosphate group.

Pyruvate

The end product of glycolysis, which can be further processed in the Krebs cycle.

Fermentation

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

Redox Reactions

Chemical reactions involving the transfer of electrons, where one substance is oxidized and another is reduced.

Reducing Agent

A substance that donates electrons in a redox reaction, causing the reduction of another substance.

Oxidizing Agent

A substance that accepts electrons in a redox reaction, causing the oxidation of another substance.

Substrate-Level Phosphorylation

A method of forming ATP by directly transferring a phosphate group to ADP from a substrate molecule.

Proton-Motive Force

The potential energy stored in a proton gradient across a membrane used to drive ATP synthesis.

NADH

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (reduced form), an electron carrier that stores energy during cellular respiration.

FADH2

Flavin adenine dinucleotide (reduced form), another electron carrier that delivers electrons to the electron transport chain.

Aerobic Respiration

Respiration that requires oxygen to produce ATP.

Anaerobic Respiration

Respiration that occurs without oxygen, using other molecules as final electron acceptors.

Facultative Anaerobes

Organisms capable of living in both aerobic and anaerobic environments by switching between respiration and fermentation.

Feedback Inhibition

A regulatory mechanism in cells where the production of a substance inhibits an enzyme involved in its production.