Cellular Respiration and Photosynthesis

Flashcards covering key terms and concepts related to cellular respiration and photosynthesis.

Cellular Respiration

The metabolic process of breaking down glucose to produce energy in the form of ATP.

Glycolysis

The process where one glucose molecule is broken down into two pyruvate molecules, producing a net gain of 2 ATP.

Pyruvate Processing

The stage where each pyruvate produced by glycolysis is processed to form Acetyl CoA, releasing CO2 and producing NADH.

Citric Acid Cycle

A series of reactions in which Acetyl CoA is oxidized to produce ATP, NADH, and FADH2.

Oxidative Phosphorylation

The process where electrons are transferred through electron transport carriers to create a proton gradient that drives ATP synthesis.

Anaerobic Respiration

Metabolic processes that occur in the absence of oxygen, using electron acceptors other than oxygen.

Lactic Acid Fermentation

A metabolic pathway that converts glucose to lactic acid, producing 2 ATP in the absence of oxygen.

Alcohol Fermentation

A metabolic process by which glucose is converted into ethanol and carbon dioxide, using NADH and yielding ATP.

Autotrophs

Organisms that generate their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis.

Heterotrophs

Organisms that obtain food molecules by consuming other organisms.

Photosynthesis

The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with carbon dioxide and water.

Chloroplast

An organelle in plant cells where photosynthesis takes place.

Stroma

The fluid-filled space inside the chloroplast where the Calvin cycle occurs.

Thylakoid

Membrane-bound compartments inside chloroplasts that contain chlorophyll and are the site of the light-dependent reactions.

Photon

A discrete packet of light energy that can be absorbed by pigments during photosynthesis.

Photosystem

Complexes of proteins and pigments necessary for capturing light energy during photosynthesis.

Rubisco

An enzyme that catalyzes the reaction between RuBP and CO2 during the Calvin cycle.

Guard Cells

Specialized cells that control the opening and closing of stomata to regulate gas exchange in plants.