Cell requirements Flashcards
ATP
Chemical energy is broken down from food to make ATP
Autotrophs
Organisms that can make their own food
E.g. plants, algae and some bacteria
Use external energy to turn into inorganic compounds into food
Heterotroph
Organism that can’t make its own food
E.g. animals, fungi, most bacteria and protists
Get energy from consuming other organisms
Photosynthesis
Used by plants from the sun to turn carbon dioxide and water into sugar
Organic compounds
Contain carbon and hydrogen
Made by living organisms
E.g. carbs, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids and vitamins
Inorganic compounds
Don’t contain carbon bonded to hydrogen
E.g. water, oxygen, carbon dioxide and minerals
Carbohydrates
Consist of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
Easily accessible energy source
Cellulose have a structural role in plant cells
Lipids
Consist of fatty acids and glycerol = carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
Long term energy storage
Structural role in cell membranes
Proteins
Amino acids = carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen
Structural role in cell membrane and tissues
Assist in growth, repair and maintenance
Form enzymes
Nucleic acids
Nucleotides = carbon. hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and phosphorus
Type determines if DNA or RNA
Vitamins
Mixed bag of the other organic compounds cells need to survive
E.g. vitamins A,B,C,D,E,K
Water
2 hydrogen atoms bonded to oxygen
Makes up 70-90% of an organism
Takes part in reactions- a reactant or a reaction takes place in it
Oxygen
2 oxygen atoms bonded together
Needed for cellular respiration
Carbon Dioxide
2 oxygen atoms bonded to a carbon atom
Main source of carbon atoms for almost all organic molecules
Minerals
Mixed bag of the other inorganic compounds cells need to survive
E.g. iron - component of haemoglobin in red blood cells
