Photosynthesis & Cellular Respiration Concepts

A condition where the body cannot regulate blood sugar properly, leading to high blood sugar levels.

A disorder where the body lacks the enzyme to break down a specific sugar, leading to buildup of the sugar in the body.

Inflammation of the bronchi, the airways that carry air to the lungs.

A group of inflammatory bowel diseases that affect the digestive tract, causing symptoms like diarrhea, abdominal pain, and weight loss.

A hardening and narrowing of the arteries due to plaque buildup, leading to decreased blood flow.

ATP is a molecule that stores and releases energy in cells. It consists of an adenine base, a ribose sugar, and three phosphate groups. The energy is stored in the bonds between the phosphate groups. When a phosphate group is broken off, energy is released. This energy is used to power cellular processes like muscle contraction, protein synthesis, and active transport.

Chloroplasts are organelles found in plant cells that are responsible for photosynthesis. Key parts include:

• Outer membrane: Protects and encloses the organelle.
• Inner membrane: Creates the internal compartments.
• Thylakoid membrane: Site of light-dependent reactions. Forms stacks called grana.
• Stroma: Fluid-filled area where light-independent reactions occur. Contains enzymes and DNA.

Mitochondria are organelles found in both plant and animal cells that are responsible for cellular respiration. Key parts include:

• Outer membrane: Encloses the organelle.
• Inner membrane: Folds into cristae. Maintains proton gradient for ATP production.
• Matrix: Fluid-filled area where the Krebs cycle takes place.
• Intermembrane space: Crucial for the proton gradient during ATP production.

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants and some algae use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose (a sugar) and oxygen. Equation: 6CO2 + 6H20 + light energy → C6H12O6 + 6O2

• Location: Chloroplasts in plants
• Goal: To convert light energy into chemical energy (glucose for food).
• Energy molecules involved: Light energy, ATP, NADPH

Cellular respiration is the process by which cells break down glucose to release energy in the form of ATP. This process occurs in both plant and animal cells. Equation: C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy (ATP)

• Location: Mitochondria
• Goal: To release energy from food (glucose).
• Energy molecules involved: Glucose, ATP, NADH, FADH2

The light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis are a series of events that convert light energy to chemical energy (ATP and NADPH).

• Location: Thylakoid membranes within the chloroplast
• Events involved:

1. Light absorption: Pigments like chlorophyll capture light energy.
2. Electron transport chain: Electrons flow through a series of proteins, releasing energy. This energy is used to pump protons across the membrane, creating a gradient.
3. Chemiosmosis: Protons flow back across the membrane through ATP synthase, producing ATP.

• Products: ATP, NADPH

The light-independent reactions of photosynthesis, also known as the Calvin Cycle, use the ATP and NADPH produced in the light-dependent reactions to convert carbon dioxide into glucose.

• Location: Stroma of the chloroplast
• Events involved:

1. Carbon fixation: CO2 is incorporated into organic molecules.
2. Reduction: The fixed carbon is reduced by NADPH, forming sugar.
3. Regeneration: Some of the molecules are used to regenerate the starting molecules for the cycle.

• Products: Glucose (sugar)

Aerobic respiration is the process of breaking down glucose with the presence of oxygen, releasing the most energy. Anaerobic respiration occurs in the absence of oxygen, releasing much less energy.

• Location: Mitochondria for aerobic respiration, cytoplasm for anaerobic respiration.
• Energy output: Aerobic: NET 32 ATP per molecule of glucose, anaerobic: 2 ATP per molecule of glucose
• Events involved:

• Aerobic: Glycolysis, pyruvate oxidation, Krebs cycle, oxidative phosphorylation.
• Anaerobic: Glycolysis, and then fermentation.

• Energy molecules involved: Glucose, ATP, NADH, FADH2

Glycolysis is the first stage of cellular respiration. It occurs in the cytoplasm of the cell. Glucose is broken down into pyruvate.

• Oxygen requirement: None (can occur with or without oxygen)
• Events involved: A series of enzymatic reactions split glucose.
• Products: 2 pyruvate, 2 ATP, 2 NADH

Pyruvate oxidation is a step connecting glycolysis to the Krebs cycle. It occurs in the mitochondrial matrix. Pyruvate from glycolysis is converted to acetyl-CoA.

• Oxygen requirement: Required.
• Events involved: Pyruvate is oxidized and combined with coenzyme A.
• Products: Acetyl-CoA, NADH, CO2

The Krebs cycle is a series of reactions that occurs in the mitochondrial matrix. It breaks down acetyl-CoA to release electrons for ATP production.

• Oxygen requirement: Required, since it is a part of aerobic respiration.
• Events involved: Acetyl-CoA combines with oxaloacetate, and is broken down, releasing electrons for ATP production.
• Products: ATP, NADH, FADH2, CO2

Oxidative phosphorylation is the final stage of cellular respiration. It occurs in the inner mitochondrial membrane. Electrons from NADH and FADH2 are passed through the electron transport chain and used to create a proton gradient that drives ATP production.

• Oxygen requirement: Required, as oxygen is the final electron acceptor.
• Events involved: Electron flow through proteins, proton gradient formation, ATP synthase.
• Products: ATP, water

Fermentation is an anaerobic process that occurs in the absence of oxygen. It allows cells to continue producing ATP by converting pyruvate to either lactate or ethanol.

• Oxygen requirement: None (occurs without oxygen).
• Events involved: Pyruvate is converted to either lactate or ethanol.
• ATP yield: 2 ATP per molecule of glucose (very low compared to aerobic respiration).
• Location: Cytoplasm

The rule of ten states that only about 10% of the energy from one trophic level is transferred to the next. This is because much of the energy is lost as heat during metabolism.

In biology, biomagnification refers to the increasing concentration of a substance, like a pesticide, in organisms at higher trophic levels. This is because organisms at higher trophic levels eat many organisms at lower trophic levels, accumulating the substance over time.

The process where certain bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into ammonia (NH3). This makes nitrogen available to plants, starting the nitrogen cycle.

A process where the atmosphere's nitrogen gas (N2) is converted into forms usable by plants. Bacteria play a key role, particularly in the root nodules of legumes, which are essential for life on Earth.

Binomial nomenclature is a system of naming organisms using two words: the genus followed by the species. This system is used worldwide to classify organisms.

A gradual change in the inherited traits of a population over an extended period. It is the process by which life on Earth has diversified into the millions of species we see today.

The process by which new species arise from existing species. This can occur due to geographical isolation, differences in mating behavior, or genetic mutations.