Cellular Energy

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to cellular energy and biochemical reactions, including Gibbs Free Energy, enzyme activity, and the processes involved in cellular respiration.

Gibbs Free Energy

Energy available to do work from a chemical reaction.

Spontaneous Reaction

A reaction that occurs without needing to be driven by an outside force, characterized by a negative ΔG.

Non-Spontaneous Reaction

A reaction that does not occur on its own and requires an input of energy, characterized by a positive ΔG.

Activation Energy

The minimum amount of energy required to initiate a chemical reaction.

Enzyme

A biological catalyst that speeds up a reaction by lowering activation energy.

Exothermic Reaction

A reaction that releases energy, often in the form of heat.

Endothermic Reaction

A reaction that absorbs energy from its surroundings.

Competitive Inhibition

A form of enzyme inhibition where the inhibitor competes with the substrate for the active site.

Non-Competitive Inhibition

Inhibition where the inhibitor binds to an allosteric site, changing the enzyme's shape and preventing substrate binding.

Allosteric Site

A site on an enzyme other than the active site that can bind regulatory molecules.

Redox Reaction

A chemical reaction that involves the transfer of electrons between two species, consisting of oxidation and reduction.

OIL RIG

An acronym for Oxidation Is Losing electrons and Reduction Is Gaining electrons.

Cellular Respiration

The process by which cells convert glucose and oxygen into energy in the form of ATP, producing carbon dioxide and water as byproducts.

ATP

A high-energy molecule that serves as the main energy currency of the cell.

Krebs Cycle

A series of chemical reactions used by all aerobic organisms to generate energy through oxidation of acetyl-CoA derived from carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.