Stage 1: Glycolysis (HL)

A metabolic process that breaks down glucose into pyruvate. It occurs in the cytosol of the cell and does not require oxygen.

A 6-carbon sugar that serves as the primary energy source for most living organisms.

A 3-carbon molecule produced by glycolysis.

The main energy currency of cells, composed of adenosine and three phosphate groups.

An electron carrier molecule that plays a vital role in energy transfer reactions.

The process of releasing energy from food without the use of oxygen.

A type of anaerobic respiration that occurs in animal muscle cells and some bacteria, where pyruvate is converted into lactic acid.

A type of anaerobic respiration occurring in yeast and plant cells, where pyruvate is converted into ethanol and carbon dioxide.

The Krebs Cycle is a series of reactions that occur in the matrix of mitochondria, breaking down Acetyl CoA into CO2, NADH, and ATP.

A 2-carbon molecule that enters the Krebs Cycle, formed from the breakdown of pyruvate.

The final electron acceptor in cellular respiration. It is reduced to form water.

The product of the Krebs Cycle that is released as a waste product.

The electron transport system (ETS) is a series of protein complexes located in the inner mitochondrial membrane (cristae) responsible for generating ATP.

The movement of electrons through the ETC releases energy, which is used to pump protons across the inner mitochondrial membrane, creating a proton gradient. This gradient powers ATP synthase to produce ATP.

NADH carries high-energy electrons from glycolysis and the Krebs cycle to the ETC, where they are passed down a chain of electron carriers.

Oxygen is the final electron acceptor in the ETC. It combines with electrons and protons to form water, completing the electron transport process.

The production of ATP by the ETC is called oxidative phosphorylation because it requires oxygen and involves the addition of a phosphate group to ADP.