T5 - Energy for biological Processes Flashcards
State what is meant by the term cellular respiration
A series of chemical reactions that release chemical potential energy from organic molecules eg glucose to make ATP
What is the function of ATP?
Source of energy for metabolic reactions such as:
Muscle contraction
Active transport e.g. of mineral ions into root hair cells
Secretion (exocytosis)
Endocytosis
Anabolic reactions (building large molecules) e.g. Protein synthesis
DNA replication
Mitosis (cell division)
Activation of chemicals
What does ATP stand for?
Adenosine Triphosphate
Describe the structure of ATP
Adenine base bonded to a ribose molecule, which is bonded to three phosphate
Describe how energy is released from ATP.
ATPase catalyses the hydrolysis of ATP into ADP and Pi (inorganic phosphate) by lowering the activation energy required to break the bonds between the phosphate groups.
Explain why respiration is considered an exergonic reaction
It releases energy to the environment.
It also releases heat, so is exothermic.
How much energy is released when ATP is hydrolysed into ADP?
30.6 kJ
Explain why ATP is considered the “universal energy currency of
cells”
ATP is useful as an energy carrier (currency) because;
● it cycles – there is a rapid turnover of ATP within cells.
● it “ ” the energy released from respiration into small manageable amounts that will not damage cells or be wasted.
● it releases energy instantly in a single reaction.
● it is universal - found in all organisms
Contrast aerobic respiration with anaeroic respiration
Aerobic respiration occurs in the presence of oxygen, anaerobic occurs when oxygen is absent.
Aerobic produces a much higher yield of ATP than anaerobic respiration.
Aerobic produces CO and H O as waste products, whereas anaerobic produces lactate (animals) or ethanol (plants) as waste products.
List the different stages of of aerobic respiration and where they occur
Glycolysis in cytoplasm, link reaction and Kreb’s cycle in the matrix of mitochondria, and oxidative phosphorylation on the inner membrane of mitochondria.
State the location of glycolysis
Cytoplasm
What are redox reactions?
Reduction and oxidation reactions
What happens when a molecule gets reduced (reduction)?
It gains hydrogen atoms or electrons
What happens when a molecule gets oxidised (oxidation)?
It loses hydrogen atoms or electrons
What is glycolysis?
Metabolic pathway that converts glucose into pyruvate
Where does the glucose required for glycolysis come from?
Glucose comes directly from blood or breakdown of glycogen stores in muscle/liver cell
Describe how glucose is converted to pyruvate
Describe glycolysis
Outline the stages in glycolysis
● Glucose is phosphorylated into hexose bisphosphate using the energy released from hydrolysis
● Hexose bisphosphate is unstable so splits into two glycerate 3-phosphate (GP) molecules.
● Each GP is oxidised by removal of 2 hydrogen atoms by dehydrogenase to form pyruvate
● The hydrogen atoms are transferred to 2 NAD to form 2 NADH (and 2 H+) molecules.
● The energy released by oxidation of GP produces a net gain of 2 ATP molecules by substrate level phosphorylation
Explain the significance of the phosphorylation of glucose
Phosphorylation is the addition of phosphate by ATP. Glucose is stable.
Phosphorylation of glucose produces hexose bisphosphate, which is unstable, so more easily splits into two GP molecules.
What happens to the phosphate groups used to phosphorylate glucose later on in glycolysis?
The phosphate groups are used to phosphorylate ADP to reform ATP
State what is meant by substrate level phosphorylation
The addition of phosphate to ADP directly from substrate using the energy from a coupled reaction e.g. oxidation of GP
State the role of NAD in glycolysis and explain its significance
NAD is a coenzyme
It is needed to accept hydrogen atoms from oxidised GP.
Reduced NAD (NADH) transfer electrons from glycolysis to the electron transport chain which results in ATP production
Name the enzyme that removes hydrogen atoms from GP
Dehydrogenase
What is the role of dehdrogenase enzyme in glycolysis?
Catalyses the oxidation of GP by removing 2 hydrogen atoms
List the products of glycolysis
2 pyruvate
2 NADH
Net gain of 2 ATP
How many carbon atoms are in one molecule of pyruvate?
3
State location of the link reaction and the Kreb’s cycle
Matrix of mitochondria
State what is meant by the term decarboxylation
Removal of a carboxyl group (CO2)
State what is meant by the term dehydrogenation
Removal of hydrogen atoms
State what is meant by the term oxidation
Loss of hydrogen
State what is meant by the term reduction
Gain of hydrogen