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CELLULAR RESPIRATION

cellular respiration study guide for honors bio

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5 views

CELLULAR RESPIRATION

cellular respiration study guide for honors bio

Uploaded by

Bella Lin
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CELLULAR RESPIRATION

What is Cellular Respiration?


Cellular respiration is the controlled release of energy from organic compounds, such as glucose, in
the presence of oxygen, to produce ATP—the energy currency of the cell.

The main goal of cellular respiration is to produce ATP, which is used as an immediate source of
energy for cellular functions like active transport, synthesis of molecules, and muscle contraction.

The Chemical Equation for Cellular Respiration

This equation shows that glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆) and oxygen (O₂) are converted into carbon dioxide (CO₂),
water (H₂O), and energy (ATP).

ATP: The Energy Molecule

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is a nucleic acid made up of:


1. Adenine (a nitrogenous base)
2. Ribose (a five-carbon sugar)
3. Three phosphate groups

Cells use ATP as their immediate source of energy. The energy is released when ATP is broken down
into ADP (adenosine diphosphate) and a phosphate group during cellular processes.

The Three Main Stages of Cellular Respiration

Step 1: Glycolysis

• Location: Cytoplasm
• Oxygen Requirement: None (Anaerobic process)
• Overview: Glycolysis breaks down glucose into two molecules of pyruvate. It also generates energy
carriers, NADH, and a small amount of ATP.

Net Products per glucose molecule:


• 2 ATP (via substrate-level phosphorylation)
• 2 NADH
• 2 Pyruvate molecules

Key Concept: During glycolysis, glucose is oxidized (loses electrons) and forms pyruvate. NAD+ is
reduced (gains electrons) to form NADH.

Intermediate Step: Pyruvate Oxidation

• Location: Mitochondrial matrix


• Overview: Pyruvate is transported into the mitochondria, where it undergoes decarboxylation
(losing a carbon as CO₂) and is converted into acetyl-CoA.

Net Products per glucose molecule:


• 2 Acetyl-CoA
• 2 NADH
• 2 CO₂

Step 2: Krebs Cycle (Citric Acid Cycle)

• Location: Mitochondrial matrix


• Oxygen Requirement: Indirectly requires oxygen (Aerobic process)
• Overview: Acetyl-CoA enters the cycle, where it is completely oxidized. Energy carriers NADH and
FADH₂ are generated, along with ATP and CO₂.

Net Products per glucose molecule:


• 2 ATP
• 6 NADH
• 2 FADH₂
• 4 CO₂

Key Concept: The Krebs Cycle produces high-energy electron carriers, NADH and FADH₂, which will
donate electrons to the next stage.

Step 3: Electron Transport Chain (ETC) and Chemiosmosis

• Location: Inner mitochondrial membrane (cristae)


• Oxygen Requirement: Yes (Aerobic process)
• Overview: The ETC uses electrons from NADH and FADH₂ to create a proton gradient across the
inner membrane, which powers ATP synthase to produce ATP through oxidative phosphorylation.

Key Events:
1. Electron Transport Chain:
• NADH and FADH₂ donate electrons to the chain.
• These electrons pass through protein complexes, pumping H⁺ ions into the intermembrane space,
creating a high concentration gradient (active transport).
• Oxygen acts as the final electron acceptor, combining with H⁺ ions to form water.
2. Chemiosmosis:
• H⁺ ions diffuse back into the matrix (passive transport) through ATP synthase, driving the production
of ATP from ADP.

Net Products per glucose molecule:


• 34 ATP
• H₂O

Total ATP Yield in Cellular Respiration

Glycolysis: 2 ATP
Krebs Cycle: 2 ATP
ETC & Chemiosmosis: 34 ATP
Total: ~38 ATP per glucose molecule (depending on efficiency).

Anaerobic Respiration and Fermentation

When oxygen is unavailable, cells perform anaerobic respiration, which produces far less ATP.
• Fermentation: Regenerates NAD⁺ so glycolysis can continue.
• Lactic Acid Fermentation: Occurs in animals; pyruvate is converted into lactate.
• Alcoholic Fermentation: Occurs in yeast; pyruvate is converted into ethanol and CO₂.

ATP Yield in Anaerobic Respiration: Only 2 ATP per glucose (from glycolysis).

Key Definitions

• Oxidation: Loss of electrons (e.g., glucose is oxidized to pyruvate).


• Reduction: Gain of electrons (e.g., NAD⁺ is reduced to NADH).
• Phosphorylation: Addition of a phosphate group to a molecule (e.g., ADP + P → ATP).
• Cristae: The folds of the inner mitochondrial membrane, increasing the surface area for ATP
production.

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