MCDB 1150 Class 8-Energetics

Vocabulary flashcards summarizing key concepts from the MCDB 1150 Class 8 lecture on energetics, ATP, and cellular metabolism.

ATP

A high-energy molecule that is the primary energy currency of the cell.

Coupled Reactions

The process where an energetically unfavorable reaction is linked to an energetically favorable one.

Phosphorylation

The addition of a phosphate group to a molecule, making a reaction more energetically favorable.

Exergonic Reaction

A chemical reaction that releases energy, indicated by a negative change in free energy (ΔG).

Endergonic Reaction

A chemical reaction that requires energy input to proceed, indicated by a positive change in free energy (ΔG).

Hydrolysis of ATP

The process that releases energy by breaking down ATP into ADP and a phosphate group.

Mitochondria

Organelles in cells where ATP is produced through the harvest of chemical energy from food.

Entropy

A measure of disorder in a system; tends to increase according to the second law of thermodynamics.

Anabolic Reaction

A type of metabolic reaction that builds larger molecules from smaller ones, requiring energy.

Catabolic Reaction

A type of metabolic reaction that breaks down larger molecules into smaller ones, releasing energy.

Cellular Metabolism

The sum of all chemical reactions in a cell, including both anabolic and catabolic processes.

ATP Cycle

A process in which energy from exergonic reactions is used to generate ATP through endergonic reactions.

ΔG (Delta G)

The change in free energy of a chemical reaction, used to determine if a reaction is spontaneous or not.

Active Site

The region of an enzyme where substrate molecules bind and undergo a chemical reaction.

Chemical Energy

Potential energy stored in chemical bonds, released during a chemical reaction.