Glycolysis & Fermentation

Question 1

What are the products and reactants of glycolysis and fermentation?

Answer 1

Glycolysis:
Reactants: glucose, NAD+, ADP, Pi
Products: pyruvate, ATP, NADH, hydrogen ions

Lactic acid fermentation:
Reactants: pyruvate
Products: lactic acid

Alcoholic fermentation:
Reactants: pyruvate
Products: ethanol, carbon dioxide

Question 2

Where does glycolysis take place (in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes)?

Answer 2

Cytoplasm

Question 3

How is energy produced and stored?

Answer 3

All living cells rely on ATP
Breaking down ATP releases energy and cells constantly replenish their ATP levels by adding on a spare phosphate onto ADP
The energy from that comes from the food we consume

Question 4

Why is the glucose breakdown process slow?

Answer 4

Slow release of energy allows control
Energy can be used more effectively and stored when not needed
It is also more efficient as there is no loss of energy

Question 5

What are the conditions required for ethanol fermentation?

Answer 5

Glucose is converted to pyruvate (glycolysis)
NAD+ is an important product of fermentation
Carbon dioxide is produced
Enzymes involved are: pyruvate decarboxylase and alcohol dehydrogenase

Question 6

Does fermentation always produce ethanol?

Answer 6

Certain cells produce other compounds under anaerobic conditions
Some cells produce lactic acid/lactate
Enzymes responsible for the production of lactate is lactate dehydrogenase