Metabolism

Metabolism

all the chemical reactions that occur within an organism to maintain life.

anabolism

involves the synthesis of complex molecules from simpler ones (often requiring energy input)

catabolism

involves the breakdown of complex molecules into simpler ones (often releasing energy).

Enzymes

biological molecules (usually proteins) that act as catalysts to facilitate and accelerate chemical reactions in living organisms

how do enzymes work

lowering the activation energy required for a reaction to occur, thereby speeding up the reaction process.

When ATP is hydrolyzed (broken down)

into adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and inorganic phosphate (Pi), energy is released, which can be used by cells to perform work, such as muscle contraction, active transport, and biosynthesis

Cellular metabolism

collective set of chemical reactions that occur within a cell to sustain life and support its various functions.

metabolic pathway

series of connected chemical reactions that happen in a specific order to carry out specific functions within a cell.

the process of glucose metabolism

interconnected pathways such as glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation. These pathways collectively convert glucose into energy-rich molecules like adenosine triphosphate (ATP).

activation energy

Chemical reactions need a little “push” or energy to get started. This initial energy is called