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Life Processes

Metabolism

• Definition: Metabolism is the sum total of all the chemical reactions that occur in a living being due to interactions among its molecules.
• Components:
    - Anabolism: Build-up reactions where molecules are synthesized from simpler substances, involving energy consumption.
    - Catabolism: Breakdown reactions where complex molecules are degraded into simpler ones, releasing energy.

Nutrition

• Definition: Nutrition is the process by which living beings procure food to obtain energy and body building materials.

Autotrophic Nutrition

• Definition: Autotrophic nutrition is a mode of nutrition where an organism builds its own organic food from inorganic raw materials using energy.
• Photosynthesis:
    - Definition: The synthesis of organic food from inorganic raw materials with the help of light energy in chlorophyll-containing cells.
    - Equation: 6CO_2 + 6H_2O
  ightarrow C_6H_{12}O_6 + 6O_2 (simplified for illustration).

Photolysis

• Definition: Photolysis of water is the photocatalytic splitting of water into its components, hydrogen and oxygen.
• Equation: 2H_2O
  ightarrow 4H^+ + 4e^- + O_2

Photo-phosphorylation

• Definition: The synthesis of energy-rich molecules of ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate using light energy.

Compensation Point

• Definition: The compensation point refers to the state at which the rate of photosynthetic carbon dioxide consumption matches the rate of its liberation during respiration.