AP Biology Unit 3 Study Guide: Cellular Energetics

A comprehensive set of flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from the AP Biology Unit 3 Study Guide on Cellular Energetics, including enzyme activities, cellular respiration, and photosynthesis.

Enzyme Activity

The rate at which an enzyme catalyzes a biochemical reaction, influenced by factors such as temperature, pH, substrate concentration, and inhibitors.

Exergonic Reaction

A chemical reaction that releases energy, often used to drive other biochemical processes.

Endergonic Reaction

A chemical reaction that requires an input of energy to proceed, often coupled with exergonic reactions.

ATP Hydrolysis

The process by which ATP is broken down into ADP and inorganic phosphate, releasing energy that can be used for cellular work.

Active Site

The specific region of an enzyme where substrate binding occurs, facilitating a biochemical reaction.

Competitive Inhibitor

A molecule that resembles the substrate and competes for binding at the active site of an enzyme.

Noncompetitive Inhibitor

A molecule that binds to an enzyme at a site other than the active site, reducing enzyme activity regardless of substrate concentration.

Cellular Respiration

The metabolic process by which cells convert glucose and oxygen into energy (ATP), carbon dioxide, and water.

Glycolysis

The first step of cellular respiration that occurs in the cytoplasm, breaking glucose down into pyruvate and producing ATP and NADH.

Krebs Cycle

A series of enzymatic reactions in the mitochondria that processes acetyl-CoA to produce ATP and electron carriers.

Electron Transport Chain (ETC)

A series of protein complexes in the inner mitochondrial membrane that transfers electrons from NADH and FADH2 to create ATP via chemiosmosis.

Chemiosmosis

The movement of protons across a membrane to generate ATP through ATP synthase during cellular respiration and photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis

The process by which plants, algae, and some bacteria convert light energy into chemical energy, stored in glucose and releasing oxygen.

Calvin Cycle

The series of reactions in photosynthesis that utilizes ATP and NADPH to fix carbon dioxide into glucose.

Fermentation

An anaerobic process that allows glycolysis to continue by regenerating NAD+ and producing waste products such as ethanol or lactic acid.

Photosystem II

A protein complex in the thylakoid membrane that captures light energy to drive the splitting of water and production of ATP.

Photosystem I

A protein complex that captures light energy to produce NADPH during the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis.