Cellular Respiration and Fermentation Flashcards
What are catabolic pathways?
Metabolic pathways that release stored energy by breaking down complex molecules
What types of compounds have potential energy?
Organic compounds (because of arrangement of electrons between atoms)
What can compounds with exergonic reactions do?
They can act as fuels
What’s fermentation?
The degradation of sugars or organic fuels that occurs without the use of oxygen; catabolic
Aerobic Respiration
Most efficient catabolic pathway; oxygen consumed as a reactant along with organic fuel
Anaerobic Respiration
Gives chemical energy (respiration) without oxygen as a reactant (instead with other substances)
Sum of Aerobic Respiration
Organic Compound + O2 -> CO2 + H2O + Energy
What does a negative delta G mean?
- Stored energy in reactants > Stored energy in products
- Exergonic
- Spontaneous (no energy required)
How is catabolism linked to work?
ATP
What keeps cells working?
Constant regeneration of supply of ATP from ADP
Oxidation
Loss of electrons
Reduction
Gain of electrons
Reducing Agent
Electron donor
Oxidizing Agent
Electron acceptor
What makes things really potent oxidizing agents?
High electronegativity
The more BLANK an atom, the more energy it takes to take an electron away from it
Electronegative
When does an electron lose PE?
When it shifts from a less electronegative atom to a more electronegative atom
Redox reactions that move electrons toward the more electronegative atom do what?
They release chemical energy
What makes good fuels?
Organic compounds with lots of hydrogen atoms
What happens in cellular respiration?
- Hydrogen goes from glucose to oxygen
- Glucose + Oxygen -> Carbon Dioxide + Water + Energy
- Electrons go to lower state and release energy for ATP synthesis
What keeps electrons from flowing excessively/releasing energy too quickly?
Activation energy barrier
NAD+
Coenzyme; electron carrier; useful because it shifts/cycles between oxidized and reduced states
Oxidized State of NAD+
NAD+
Reduced State of NAD+
NADH
How NAD+ works?
Uses dehydrogenases which take two hydrogen atoms from glucose and keeps the electrons and one proton for itself while releasing the proton into the surroundings
What does NADH show?
That a hydrogen has been received
What can be used to synthesize ATP?
Potential energy of electrons stored in NADH after electrons go from NADH to oxygen
