Chapter6

Autotrophs

Organisms that use energy from sunlight to make organic molecules.

Heterotrophs

Organisms that obtain organic molecules by consuming autotrophs.

Cellular respiration

The process by which organisms harvest energy from organic molecules to produce ATP.

Aerobic respiration

A series of enzyme-controlled reactions that use oxygen to oxidize glucose, forming carbon dioxide and water.

Krebs cycle

A metabolic pathway that breaks down pyruvic acid, producing ATP, NADH, and FADH2, occurring in the mitochondrial matrix.

Glycolysis

The breakdown of glucose into pyruvic acid, netting 2 ATP and producing NADH.

Electron transport chain (ETC)

A series of proteins that transfer electrons and use energy to pump protons, generating ATP.

Anaerobic respiration

Metabolism of glucose in the absence of oxygen, resulting in the incomplete oxidation of glucose.

Fermentation

An anaerobic pathway that uses an organic molecule as the final electron acceptor.

Alcoholic fermentation

A type of fermentation where pyruvic acid is reduced to form ethanol, releasing carbon dioxide.

Lactic acid fermentation

A type of fermentation where pyruvic acid is reduced to form lactic acid, occurring in muscle cells.

Fat metabolism

The process by which fats are broken down into glycerol and fatty acids to be used for energy.

Protein metabolism

The process that involves the digestion of proteins into amino acids, which are then used for energy.

Energy transformation

The conversion of energy from one form to another, crucial in biochemical pathways.

ATP

The primary energy carrier in living organisms, produced through cellular respiration.