CH 9 vocabulary Flashcards
Fermentation
a chemical process by which molecules such as glucose are broken down anaerobically.
Cellular respiration
a set of metabolic reactions and processes that take place in the cells of organisms to convert oxygen into chemical energy or nutrients into ATP, and then release waste products
aerobic respiration
a chemical reaction that transfers energy to cells.
redox reactions
reactions that involve the transfer of electrons between chemical species.
oxidation
the process or result of oxidizing or being oxidized.
reduction
the halving of the number of chromosomes per cell that occurs at one of the two anaphases of meiosis
NAD+
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide is a cofactor central to metabolism
NADH
Often referred to as coenzyme 1, NADH is the body’s top-ranked coenzyme, a facilitator of numerous biological reactions.
electron transport chain
a cluster of proteins that transfer electrons through a membrane within mitochondria to form a gradient of protons that drives the creation of ATP.
glycolysis
the breakdown of glucose by enzymes, releasing energy and pyruvic acid.
Citric acid cycle
another term for Krebs cycle.
oxidative phosphorylation
the metabolic pathway in which cells use enzymes to oxidize nutrients, thereby releasing the chemical energy stored within to produce ATP.
acetyl-CoA
a molecule that participates in many biochemical reactions in protein, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Its main function is to deliver the acetyl group to the citric acid cycle to be oxidized for energy production.
ATP synthase
an enzyme that catalyzes the formation of the energy storing molecule ATP.
chemiosmosis
the movement of ions across a semipermeable membrane bound structure, down their electrochemical gradient.
