Cellular Respiration and Fermentation

These flashcards cover key concepts from the chapter on cellular respiration and fermentation, which are essential for understanding how cells produce energy.

ATP

Adenosine triphosphate; the primary energy carrier in cells.

Cellular respiration

The process by which cells break down organic molecules to produce ATP.

Mitochondria

Cell organelles where cellular respiration occurs.

Glycolysis

The first step in cellular respiration where glucose is broken down into pyruvate.

Citric Acid Cycle

Also known as the Krebs cycle; a key metabolic pathway that produces NADH and ATP by oxidizing acetyl-CoA.

Oxidative phosphorylation

The final stage of cellular respiration, involving the electron transport chain and chemiosmosis to produce ATP.

Fermentation

Process that allows for ATP production without oxygen, through glycolysis and additional reactions.

NADH

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide; an electron carrier involved in cellular respiration.

Redox reactions

Reactions that involve the transfer of electrons, which releases energy.

Anaerobic respiration

Respiration that occurs in the absence of oxygen, using other electron acceptors.

Substrate-level phosphorylation

The direct transfer of a phosphate group to ADP to form ATP during glycolysis and the citric acid cycle.

Proton-motive force

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

Obligate anaerobes

Organisms that cannot survive in the presence of oxygen.

Facultative anaerobes

Organisms that can use oxygen for respiration or ferment when oxygen is absent.

Beta oxidation

The process of breaking down fatty acids into two-carbon fragments to form acetyl CoA.

Acetyl CoA

A compound that enters the citric acid cycle and is produced from pyruvate.

Chemiosmosis

The movement of protons across a membrane during ATP synthesis.