Untitled Flashcards Set

Metabolism

All chemical reactions within a cell.

Catabolism

Breakdown of molecules, releasing energy (exergonic).

Anabolism

Building of molecules, requiring energy (endergonic).

Exergonic

Reactions that release energy (e.g., cellular respiration).

Endergonic

Reactions that absorb energy (e.g., protein synthesis).

Hydrolysis

Breaking molecules by adding water (e.g., ATP → ADP + Pi).

Dehydration Synthesis

Building molecules by removing water (e.g., forming proteins).

Denature

Structural change in a protein (e.g., enzyme) that inhibits function.

Activation Energy

Minimum energy needed to start a chemical reaction.

Heterotrophs

Organisms that consume organic molecules for carbon.

Autotrophs

Organisms that use CO₂ as their carbon source.

Phototrophs

Obtain energy from light.

Chemotrophs

Obtain energy from chemical compounds.

Oxidative Phosphorylation

Produces ATP via the electron transport chain (ETC).

Aerobic Respiration

Uses oxygen as the final electron acceptor in the ETC.

Anaerobic Respiration

Uses a non-oxygen molecule (e.g., nitrate, sulfate) as the final electron acceptor.

First Law of Thermodynamics

Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed.

ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)

Energy carrier composed of adenine, ribose, and three phosphate groups.

Energy Storage

Energy stored in high-energy phosphate bonds of ATP.

Oxidation

Loss of electrons.

Reduction

Gain of electrons.

Glycolysis

First step in cellular respiration; occurs in the cytoplasm, inputting glucose to produce 2 pyruvate and 2 ATP.

Krebs Cycle

Cyclical metabolic pathway located in mitochondrial matrix; generates ATP and electron carriers.

Electron Transport Chain (ETC)

Final stage of cellular respiration where ATP is produced using a proton gradient.

Fermentation

Anaerobic process that generates ATP through glycolysis alone when oxygen is not available.

Lactic Acid Fermentation

Fermentation process where glucose converts to lactic acid and 2 ATP, example includes muscle cells.

Alcohol Fermentation

Fermentation process where glucose converts to ethanol, CO₂, and 2 ATP, example includes yeast.

Competitive Inhibitors

Substances that bind to the enzyme's active site, blocking substrate access.

Non-Competitive Inhibitors

Substances that bind elsewhere on the enzyme, altering its shape and function.

Enzyme Specificity

Each enzyme has a specific substrate on which it acts.

Active Site

The region on the enzyme where the substrate binds.