Energy for biological process Flashcards
Specification reference:5.2.1 + 5.2.2
Examples of metabolic reactions
- Active Transport
- Anabolic reactions
- Movement
Active Transport
- Essential for the uptake of nitrates by root hair cells
- Loading sucrose into sieve tube cells
- Selective re absorption of amino acids and glucose
- Conduction of nerve fibres
Anabolic reactions
Building polymers (proteins, polysacchrides) and nucleic acids) for growth and repair
Movement
Brought by cillia, flagella and contractile filaments in muscle cells
What do metabolic reactions require?
Energy
What is used to fuel metabolic reactions?
Radiation from the sun keeps organisms alive
Respiration
The process of breaking down organic molecules to form inorganic molecules like water and carbon dioxide
The energy stored in the organic molecules can synthesis…
ATP
Photosynthesis Equation
6CO2 + 6H20 C6H12O6 + 6O2
Respiration Equation
C6H12O6 + 6O2 -> 6CO2 + 6H20
What are the reactants of Respiration
Glucose and oxygen
What are the products of Respiration?
Water and Carbon dioxide
What is the purpose of Respiration?
Release Energy
What are the reactants of Photosynthesis?
Water and Carbon dioxide
What are the products of Photosynthesis?
Glucose and oxygen
What is the purpose of Photosynthesis?
To Trap energy
Endothermic
Takes in energy
Exothermic
Releases energy
What do organic molecules contain lots of?
Carbon-Hydrogen Bonds
Carbon-Hydrogen Bonds
Carbon and Hydrogen share electrons between them resulting in non-polar bonds
Carbon-Hydrogen Bonds
Carbon and Hydrogen share electrons between them resulting in non-polar bonds which doesn’t require a lot of energy to break
Explain why it is incorrect to say that energy is produced? (2 marks)
Energy cannot be created (or destroyed) energy is transferred (1) ATP is produced (1)
Explain why ATP is not a good energy storage molecule but why organic molecules like lipids and carbohydrates are. (4 marks)
ATP is not very stable (1); easy to remove phosphate group (1); organic molecules are (more)
stable (1); idea that organic molecules are more energy dense (1)
Explain the interrelationship between respiration and photosynthesis in organisms? (5 marks)
In photosynthesis light energy is converted into chemical energy (1); inorganic molecules are
converted into organic molecules (1); water and carbon dioxide are converted to glucose (and oxygen) (1); respiration uses oxygen produced in photosynthesis (1); organic molecules are broken
down into inorganic molecules (1); energy released is used to synthesise ATP (1); carbon dioxide
produced is used in respiration (1)
ATP
The universal energy currency in cells
What does Bond Energy in ATP do?
Drives Metabolic reactions
ATP in terms of photosynthesis
Light provides energy to build organic molecules.
Energy is used to form chemical bonds in ATP which are then broken to release energy needed to make bonds (glucose is formed)
ATP in terms of respiration
Organic molecules are broken down and the energy is used to synthesize ATP. ATP is then used to supply energy needed to break bonds in metabolic reactions
ATP that produced in both photosynthesis and respiration is synthesized by what process
Chemiosmosis
Chemiosmosis
Diffusion of protons from a high concentration to a low concentration via a partially permeable
What does chemiosmosis depend on…
Chemiosmosis depends on the creation of a proton concentration gradient. This energy comes from excited electrons
Electrons are excited in which two ways?
- Electrons present in a pigment molecule (chlorophyll) are excited by radiation from the sun
- High energy electrons are released when chemical bonds are broken in respiratory substrate molecules
What do excited electrons pass into?
An electron transport chain which is used to generate a proton gradient
What is an electron transport chain made of?
Electron carriers
Electron carriers
- Have progressive energy levels
- Electrons move from one carrier to another releasing energy
What are electron carriers used for?
They pump protons across a membrane creating a concentration across the membrane which is therefore a proton gradient is formed
How is a proton gradient maintained?
The impermeability of the membrane to hydrogen ions
How can protons move back through the membrane?
Protons move down the concentration gradient through the hydrophillic membrane channel linked to the enzyme ATP synthase. The flow of these protein channels provides the energy used to synthesis ATP (from ADP and P1)
What does ATP synthase do?
Catalyses the formation of ATP
Describe a way to remember an electron transport chain?
The flow of water through an hydroelectric power station causing turbines to spin, generating electricity. Both chemiosmosis and hydroelectric power generation result in energy in a usable form
Explain the importance of ATP in organism (3 marks)
Universal energy currency (1); energy transfer is, quick/immediate (1); energy is in, small/usable,
quantities (1); (energy transfer) is quick, (energy transfer) in quantities that can be used; ATP can be
resynthesised (1)
Describe the properties of cell membranes necessary for the formation of a proton gradient (5 marks)?
Impermeable to, ions/protons (1); idea that there can be different concentrations of protons on each
side of a membrane (1); contains, embedded / integral, proteins (1); e.g., ATP synthase (1); enzyme
responsible for synthesis of ATP (1).
Name the type of diffusion which enables protons to move through ATP synthase and explain the role of ATP synthase in the production of ATP (4 marks)
Facilitated diffusion (1); ATP synthase provides hydrophilic channel for diffusion of protons (1); catalyses the synthesis of ATP (1); lowers activation energy (1).
Photosythesis
The process by which energy in the form of light is used to produce organic molecules
What type of energy is used?
Light energy is transformed into chemical energy trapped in the bonds of organic molecules produced
Autotrophic
Organisms that can photosynthesise