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A Level - Biology > 12: Respiration > Flashcards

12: Respiration Flashcards

1
Q

What does aerobic respiration require and produce?

A

Requires oxygen

Produces CO2, water and a lot of ATP

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2
Q

When does anaerobic respiration occur and what does it produce?

A

Takes place in absence of oxygen
Lactate produced in animals
Ethanol and CO2 in plants and fungi
Little ATP produced

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3
Q

What are the stages of aerobic respiration?

A

Glycolysis
Link Reaction
Krebs Cycle
Oxidative phosphorylation

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4
Q

What are the stages of anaerobic respiration?

A

Glycolysis

Fermentation

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5
Q

Where does glycolysis occur?

A

Cytoplasm of the cell

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6
Q

What are the stages of glycolysis?

A

Glucose is phosphorylated twice, hydrolysing 2ATP -> 2ADP + 2Pi
Phosphorylated glucose broken down to 2x triose phosphate
Each triose phosphate reduces NAD -> NADH and produces synthesises 2ATP
2 Pyruvate molecule leave

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7
Q

What are the products of glycolysis from 1 glucose and their uses?

A

2 reduced NAD - used in oxidative phosphorylation
2 ATP (net) - used for energy
2 Pyruvate - used to input to link reaction

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8
Q

Where does the link reaction take place?

A

The matrix of the mitochondria

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9
Q

How are the products of glycolysis transported for the link reaction?

A

Products actively transported into the mitochondrial matrix

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10
Q

What are the stages of the link reaction?

A

Pyruvate oxidised to acetate, reducing NAD -> NADH and losing CO2
Acetate combines with coenzyme A to produce acetylcoenzyme A (2C)

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11
Q

What are the products of the link reaction from 1 glucose and what are they used for?

A

2 acetyl coenzyme A - used in Krebs cycle
2 reduced NAD - used in oxidative phosphorylation
2 CO2 - released as waste product

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12
Q

Where does the Krebs cycle occur?

A

Mitochondrial matrix

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13
Q

What are the stages of the Krebs cycle?

A

acetyl CoA (2C) combines with 4C to form a 6C molecule, CoA removed
6C reduces NAD, and loses CO2 producing 5C
5C reduces NAD, and loses CO2 producing 4C
4C then provides energy for ADP + Pi -> ATP
4C reduces FAD and then NAD
4C can then combine with new acetyl CoA
Happens 2 times from 1 glucose

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14
Q

What are the products of the Krebs cycle from 1 glucose and their uses?

A

6 NADH & 2 FADH - used in oxidative phosphorylation
2 ATP - used for energy
4CO2 - released as a waste product

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15
Q

How many ATP are produced in aerobic respiration?

A

~38 ATP produced

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16
Q

Why is the Krebs cycle important?

A

Breaks down macro-molecules to smaller ones (pyruvate -> CO2)
Produces H atoms carried by coenzymes and to provide energy for oxidative phosphorylation leading to producing ATP
Regenerates 4C that combines with acetyl CoA
Intermediate compounds used by cells for manufacture of other important substances (fatty acids, amino acids, chlorophyll)

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17
Q

What are coenzymes?

A

Molecules that enzymes require to function

Used to carry hydrogen atoms from one molecule to another

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18
Q

Where does oxidative phosphorylation occur?

A

Cristae of the mitochondria

Enzymes are found within the inner membrane

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19
Q

How are mitochondria adapted in more metabolically active cells?

A

Cristae are more densely packed

More mitochondria present

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20
Q

What is the electron transport chain (ETC)?

A

A series of electron carrier molecule

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21
Q

What are the stages of oxidative phosphorylation?

A

First part occurs in the matrix
Reduced NAD and FAD donate electrons from H atoms they are carrying to 1st molecule in ETC
Electrons pass along ETC molecules in redox reactions
Energy produced from this actively transports protons from coenzymes into inner-membranal space
Protons accumulate and diffuse back into matrix through ATP synthase channels, causing ATP production
At the end of the chain, the electrons combine with these protons and oxygen to form water

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22
Q

Why is oxygen important in oxidative phosphorylation?

A

Acts as the final acceptor of electrons and protons produced in Krebs and glycolysis
Without it, coenzymes stay reduced so can’t be used in Krebs and glycolysis, no oxidative phosphorylation

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23
Q

Why is it important that the electron transport chain happens in stages?

A

Little at a time means energy can be used for processes

If released at once more would be released as heat

24
Q

What substances other than sugars can be oxidised to release energy?

A

Lipids

Proteins

25
How are lipids respired?
Lipids hydrolysed to glycerol and fatty acids Glycerol phosphorylated and converted to triose phosphate and enters glycolysis pathway Fatty acid broken down to 2C fragments and converted to acetyl CoA which enters Krebs
26
Why do lipids produce more energy than the same amount of carbohydrate?
Produces many 2C fragments and many H atoms | H atoms used to make ATP in oxidative phosphorylation
27
How are proteins respired?
Protein hydrolysed to amino acids Amino groups removed in deamination process before entering at different points 3C converted to pyruvate 4 and 5C converted to Krebs intermediates
28
Which stages cannot occur in the absence of oxygen and why?
Krebs cycle - coenzymes not oxidised so cannot take protons | ETC in oxidative phosphorylation - no final acceptor so process halts and no more ATP can be synthesised
29
What is the source of energy in anaerobic respiration?
2 ATP produced from glycolysis
30
What is the process of anaerobic respiration in yeast?
Glycolysis produces pyruvate, ATP and reduced NAD | pyruvate + reduced NAD -> ethanol + CO2 + NAD
31
Why is a step after glycolysis required in anaerobic respiration?
Reduced NAD must be converted back into NAD to allow glycolysis to happen again
32
What is the process of anaerobic respiration in animals?
Pyruvate + reduced NAD -> lactate + NAD
33
What is the problem with anaerobic respiration in animals?
Lactate / lactic acid requires oxidation or could significantly lower pH which could effect enzymes Causes oxygen debt to form to remove it
34
What are the methods for lactate removal?
Oxidation back into pyruvate | Removed by blood, taken to liver and converted to glycogen
35
How is energy from respiration derived?
Substrate-level phosphorylation in glycolysis and Krebs | Oxidative phosphorylation - this produces significantly more
36
How much energy is produced in anaerobic and aerobic respiration?
Aerobic - ~38 ATP per glucose | Anaerobic - 2 ATP per glucose
37
What is the respiratory quotient (RQ)?
RQ = Amount of CO2 produced / Amount of O2 used
38
What is the RQ value of glucose?
1 | 6CO2 / 6O2
39
What is the set up of a respirometer?
Two test tubes connected using a tube with coloured dye and a scale Both have sodium hydroxide One has respiring organism and tap, other has syringe and no organism
40
Why should the respirometer be left for some time with the tap open when placed in a water bath?
Allows organism to acclimatise to temperature | Allows pressure of air to change in the system
41
Why is sodium hydroxide present in the respirometer?
Absorbs CO2 produced
42
How does a respirometer work?
Respiring organism uses O2 and CO2 produced is absorbed Negative pressure in test tube with organism Coloured dye moves to the tube with the organism inside it
43
How do you describe CO2 and O2 use/production n respirometer questions?
O2 - consumed | CO2 - released by organism
44
What is the control of a respirometer experiment?
Repeat the experiment without the organism | Shows effect is due to the organism
45
Why is ATP so useful? (PPQ)
Energy released in small amounts Broken down in one step Immediate energy release so available rapidly Adds phosphate to molecule making them more reactive Can be reformed
46
How is ATP made in mitochondria? (PPQ)
Substrate level phosphorylation in Krebs Krebs cycle produces reduced NAD and FAD Electrons released from reduced NAD and FAD Electrons pass through ETC This releases energy used to actively transport protons into inter-membrane space Protons pass through ATP synthase and allow for ADP + Pi -> ATP
47
Why is it important for respiration in plants as well as photosynthesis? (PPQ)
In the dark no photosynthesis and no ATP production Some tissue cannot photosynthesise ATP cannot be moved cell to cell Plants use more ATP than produced in photosynthesis ATP used for active transport and for synthesis
48
How does anaerobic respiration change with differing oxygen uptake?
Ethanol produced by anaerobic respiration Ethanol increases as oxygen decreases Then ethanol decreases as it is a toxin
49
What occurs to oxygen uptake and ethanol production if the ETC is inhibited? (PPQ)
Oxygen uptake stops As oxygen is final electron acceptor as combines with electrons and protons A large amount of ethanol produced
50
Why are respirometers set at the same temperature in a water bath?
Affects enzymes Affects respiration and therefore volume of gases Affects readings
51
What would occur if anaerobic organisms were put in the respirometer?
No change would occur No oxygen uptake All CO2 absorbed by sodium hydroxide
52
Why does aerobic respiration produce more ATP?
Oxygen is final electron acceptor, combines with e- and protons Oxidative phosphorylation produces ATP Only glycolysis occurs without oxygen
53
Why does anaerobic respiration produce more CO2 than aerobic?
Less ATP produced More anaerobic respiration as more glucose must be respired for same amount of ATP So more CO2 produced
54
What are the effects of preventing a proton gradient?
No proton movement so no ATP produced Energy from electron transport not used for ATP released as heat Oxygen used as final acceptor combines with electrons and protons so uptake remains constant
55
What is the function of the inner mitochondrial membrane in ATP production? (PPQ)
ETC in membrane, transfers electrons Provides energy for active transport into intermembranal space Protons pass back into matrix Energy used to combine ADP + Pi -> ATP
56
Why is ATP an appropriate source of energy?
Energy released in small amounts Soluble Involves a simple reaction
57
Why does the human body produce a large amount of ATP?
ATP is unstable Cannot be stored and immediate source of energy Used for active transport ATP only releases small amounts of energy

A Level - Biology (22 decks)

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