AP BIOLOGY_ UNIT 3 EXAM REVIEW - Google Docs

Catabolism

The set of chemical reactions that breaks down molecules into smaller units and generates energy.

Anabolism

The set of chemical reactions that builds molecules from smaller units and requires an input of energy.

Kinetic Energy

The energy of motion.

Potential Energy

Stored energy that depends on the structure of an object.

Open systems

Living organisms that can exchange both matter and energy with their surroundings.

Second Law of Thermodynamics

States that there is an increase in entropy in the universe over time.

Gibbs Free Energy

The amount of energy available to do work.

Endergonic

Reactions with a positive ΔG that require an input of energy and are non-spontaneous.

Exergonic

Reactions with a negative ΔG that release energy and are spontaneous.

Metabolic Disequilibrium

Living cells are in a state of disequilibrium because they are open systems and constantly exchanging materials.

ATP

Adenosine triphosphate, a nucleotide that drives many cellular processes using the chemical energy in its chemical bonds.

Enzymes

Proteins that serve as biological catalysts and increase the rate of chemical reactions in cells.

Activation Energy

Energy needed to reach the transition state in a chemical reaction.

Enzyme-substrate complex

The complex formed when an enzyme binds to its substrate.

Enzyme Specificity

Enzymes are highly specific for the substrate and reaction they catalyze.

Induced Fit Model

A model of enzyme-substrate interaction where the enzyme molds itself to fit the substrate.

Enzyme-catalyzed Reaction

The rate of enzyme-catalyzed reactions can be affected by temperature, pH, enzyme concentration, substrate concentration, cofactors, inhibitors, and activators.

Metabolic Pathways

Inhibitors and activators play a key role in the regulation of metabolic pathways.

Autotrophs

Organisms that generate their own energy-rich food molecules through biochemical processes.

Chloroplast

Organelle where photosynthesis occurs.

Thylakoid

Highly folded structures in the chloroplast where light reactions take place.

Grana

Pancake-like stacks of the chloroplast thylakoid network where light reactions take place.

Stroma

Region surrounding the thylakoid where the Calvin cycle takes place.

Photosynthesis

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

Reduction

Reactions where a molecule gains electrons and gains energy.

Oxidation

Reactions where a molecule loses electrons and releases energy.

Light Reactions

The stage of photosynthesis where energy from sunlight is converted into chemical energy.

Calvin Cycle

The stage of photosynthesis where energy is used to convert carbon dioxide to a carbohydrate.

Visible Spectrum

The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is apparent to our eyes.

Red light

The visible light with the longest wavelengths and least energy.

Leaves

Plant organs that are good at absorbing blue and red wavelengths of light, but poor at absorbing green wavelengths.

Action Spectrum

A measurement of the rate of photosynthesis by measuring the release of oxygen.

Light dependent reactions

The first stage of photosynthesis that uses sunlight to produce ATP and NADPH.

Calvin Cycle

The second stage of photosynthesis that uses ATP and NADPH to build carbohydrates.

Rubisco

The enzyme that catalyzes the first step of the Calvin Cycle.

ATP

Adenosine triphosphate, a molecule that stores and transfers energy in cells.

Mitochondria

The organelles where ATP synthesis occurs via cellular respiration.

Photorespiration

The process in which rubisco adds oxygen to a 5-carbon molecule, resulting in a net energy drain.

Cellular Respiration

The process that converts glucose and oxygen into carbon dioxide, water, and energy (ATP).

Glycolysis

The first step of aerobic cellular respiration, where glucose is partially broken down to produce pyruvate.

Pyruvate Oxidation

The second step of aerobic cellular respiration, where pyruvate is oxidized to acetyl-coenzyme A.

Krebs Cycle

The third step of aerobic cellular respiration, a series of redox reactions that oxidize the acetyl group to carbon dioxide.

Oxidative phosphorylation

The fourth step of aerobic cellular respiration, where reduced electron carriers donate electrons to the respiratory electron transport chain, generating a large amount of ATP.