Aerobic Respiration and Metabolic Processes

These flashcards cover key concepts related to the processes involved in aerobic respiration, including metabolic pathways such as glycolysis, the link reaction, and the Krebs cycle.

Glycolysis

The first metabolic process that kicks off cellular respiration, producing pyruvate and NADH.

Fermentation

A metabolic process that occurs when oxygen is low, allowing organisms to continue generating energy.

Aerobic Respiration

The process of breaking down carbohydrates in the presence of oxygen to produce ATP.

Mitochondria

Organelles where aerobic respiration takes place, evolved from ancient bacteria.

Link Reaction

The short metabolic pathway that converts pyruvate into acetyl CoA before entering the Krebs cycle.

Krebs Cycle

A metabolic pathway that extracts electrons from carbohydrates to produce NADH and FADH2.

Acetyl CoA

The product of the link reaction that enters the Krebs cycle for further metabolism.

Substrate Level Phosphorylation

A process occurring in the Krebs cycle where ATP is produced from ADP by transferring a phosphate group.

Oxaloacetate

A four-carbon molecule that is the final product of the Krebs cycle and is reused to restart the cycle.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

A waste product formed during the link reaction and Krebs cycle when carbon atoms are removed.

NADH

An electron carrier produced in glycolysis, the link reaction, and Krebs cycle that holds electrons for later stages of respiration.

FADH2

An electron carrier produced during the Krebs cycle, also involved in the electron transport chain to generate ATP.

Electron Transport Chain

The final metabolic process in mitochondria where electrons from NADH and FADH2 are used to produce approximately 32-36 ATP.