Biology 4: The Processes Of Life Flashcards
What is the end product of photosynthesis
Glucose
Glucose
A simple sugar
Why is photosynthesis important
Photosynthesis plays a vital role in making energy available to organisms through food chains
Respiration
Process occurring in living things without oxygen is used to release the energy in foods
How do plants respire
- At night, plants respire only and give out carbon dioxide. During the day, plants photosynthesise as well as respire. They Will be in Annette output of oxygen
What do you organisms use energy for
- Organisms use energy for many activities, including movement and producing large molecules required for Growth
Enzymes
Proteins found in living things to speed up or catalyse reactions
What do enzymes consist of
- Enzymes are proteins. They consist of long chains of amino acid’s joined together.
- Cells assemble enzymes using instructions provided in genes
- The chemicals that enzymes work on are called substrates
- The chemicals produced in the reaction are called the products
Why is order and types of amino acids important for the enzyme to work
The order and types of amino acid in an amino acid in an enzyme give it a complicated three-dimensional shape. This shape is essential for the enzyme to work
Explain why the active site of an enzyme is important
- Part of the enzyme called the active site has a special shape that the substrate fits neatly into, like a key in a lock
- Substrate molecules locked into the active site take part in a chemical reaction, and product molecule(s) are released. This is lock and key model of enzyme action
What are the conditions that enzymes need to survive
- Enzymes need a specific pH and temperature to work at their optimum. They stop working if the pH is inappropriate or the temperature is too high
- The body temperature of mammals and bird is around 37°C. This is the optimum temperature of most enzymes
How does the temperature and the pH affect the enzyme
- As the temperature is increased, enzyme activity increases because the reaction rate increases
- High temperatures change the shape of the active site of the enzyme. At a point where the change in shape is permanent, the enzyme has been denatured
- pH also affects enzyme activity by changing the shake of the active site. The change in what can be temporary or permanent (it is denatured)
Amino acids
Small molecules from which proteins are built
Substrates
The chemicals that enzymes work on
Products
Chemicals produced at the end of a chemical reaction.
Active site
Part of an enzyme where a substrate can fit neatly into it
What microorganisms is photosynthesis important for
Photosynthesis is a series of chemical reactions that use energy fro sunlight to build large food molecules in plants cells and some microorganisms such as phytoplankton
What is the word and symbol equation for photosynthesis
Carbon dioxide + water –light energy–> glucose + oxygen
6CO₂ + 6H₂O –light energy–> C₆H₁₂O₆ +6O₂
How is sunlight used by plants
- Sunlight is absorbed by green chemical chlorophyll which, along with enzymes for photosynthesis, is found in structures in the cell called chloroplasts
- Chloroplasts are found in parts of the plant exposed to sunlight.
How is glucose used by plants through photosynthesis
The product of photosynthesis, glucose is:
- Converted to chemicals needed for the plants growth, e.g. cellulose, protein, chlorophyll
- Converted into starch for storage
- Used in respiration to release energy
Chlorophyll
The green chemical in plants that absorbs plant energy
Chloroplasts
Structures characteristic of plant cells and the cells of algae where photosynthesis takes place
Cellulose
Large polysaccharides made by plants for cell walls
How and where are amino acids made
Glucose from photosynthesis and nitrates taken up by the plant roots are used to synthesise amino acids, which are assembled into proteins