Nutrition Basics

Nutrition

• Definition: The process by which living organisms obtain and utilize energy and nutrients from their environment.
• Types of Nutrition:
  • Autotrophic: Producing own food through photosynthesis (e.g., plants).
  • Heterotrophic: Obtaining food from other sources (e.g., animals).
• Nutrient Uptake:
  • Ingestion: Taking in food through mouth (e.g., animals).
  • Absorption: Breaking down and absorbing nutrients from food.
  • Assimilation: Converting absorbed nutrients into energy and biomolecules.

Respiration

• Definition: The process by which cells generate energy from glucose and other organic molecules.
• Types of Respiration:
  • Aerobic: Occurs in the presence of oxygen, producing ATP and water.
  • Anaerobic: Occurs in the absence of oxygen, producing ATP and lactic acid.
• Cellular Respiration:
  • Glycolysis: Breakdown of glucose into pyruvate.
  • Citric Acid Cycle (Krebs Cycle): Conversion of pyruvate into ATP, NADH, and FADH2.
  • Electron Transport Chain: Generation of ATP from NADH and FADH2.

Transportation

• Definition: The process by which living organisms move substances from one place to another.
• Types of Transportation:
  • Passive Transport: Movement of substances down their concentration gradient.
  • Active Transport: Movement of substances against their concentration gradient, requiring energy.
• Transport Mechanisms:
  • Diffusion: Random movement of particles from high to low concentration.
  • Osmosis: Movement of water molecules from high to low concentration.
  • Phagocytosis: Engulfing and ingestion of particles by cells.

Excretion

• Definition: The process by which living organisms remove waste and excess substances.
• Types of Excretion:
  • Kidneys: Filtering waste and excess substances from blood.
  • Liver: Removing toxins and waste from blood.
  • Skin: Removing excess water and waste through sweating.
• Excretory Organs:
  • Kidneys: Produce urine, which is excreted through the urinary system.
  • Liver: Produces bile, which is excreted through the digestive system.

Coordination and Control

• Definition: The process by which living organisms respond to stimuli and maintain homeostasis.
• Types of Coordination and Control:
  • Nervous System: Fast, electrical responses to stimuli.
  • Endocrine System: Slow, hormonal responses to stimuli.
• Control Mechanisms:
  • Feedback Loops: Regulation of physiological processes through negative feedback.
  • Hormone Regulation: Control of physiological processes through hormone production.

Growth and Development

• Definition: The process by which living organisms increase in size and complexity.
• Types of Growth:
  • Cell Division: Increase in cell number.
  • Cell Enlargement: Increase in cell size.
• Developmental Processes:
  • Embryogenesis: Development of an organism from a zygote.
  • Morphogenesis: Shaping of tissues and organs during development.

Nutrition

• Nutrition is the process by which living organisms obtain and utilize energy and nutrients from their environment.
• There are two types of nutrition: autotrophic and heterotrophic.
• Autotrophic nutrition involves producing own food through photosynthesis, e.g., plants.
• Heterotrophic nutrition involves obtaining food from other sources, e.g., animals.
• Nutrient uptake involves three processes: ingestion, absorption, and assimilation.

Respiration

• Respiration is the process by which cells generate energy from glucose and other organic molecules.
• There are two types of respiration: aerobic and anaerobic.
• Aerobic respiration occurs in the presence of oxygen, producing ATP and water.
• Anaerobic respiration occurs in the absence of oxygen, producing ATP and lactic acid.
• Cellular respiration involves three stages: glycolysis, citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle), and electron transport chain.

Transportation

• Transportation is the process by which living organisms move substances from one place to another.
• There are two types of transportation: passive and active.
• Passive transport involves the movement of substances down their concentration gradient.
• Active transport involves the movement of substances against their concentration gradient, requiring energy.
• Transport mechanisms include diffusion, osmosis, and phagocytosis.

Excretion

• Excretion is the process by which living organisms remove waste and excess substances.
• There are several types of excretion, including kidney filtration, liver detoxification, and skin excretion through sweating.
• Excretory organs include the kidneys, liver, and skin.

Coordination and Control

• Coordination and control involve the response to stimuli and maintenance of homeostasis.
• There are two types of coordination and control: nervous system and endocrine system.
• The nervous system involves fast, electrical responses to stimuli.
• The endocrine system involves slow, hormonal responses to stimuli.
• Control mechanisms include feedback loops and hormone regulation.

Growth and Development

• Growth and development involve the increase in size and complexity of living organisms.
• There are two types of growth: cell division and cell enlargement.
• Developmental processes include embryogenesis and morphogenesis.