AP Bio Unit 3 Complete Student Notes Flashcards

The field of Biology that concerns energy flow through living systems, including the study of enzymatic processes, metabolic pathways, cellular respiration, and photosynthesis.

The study of intricate organization in living systems involves various levels of organization, from molecules to ecosystems.

The sum of all the chemical reactions occurring in an organism, including catabolic reactions (breaking down molecules) and anabolic reactions (building polymers).

Chemical reactions that break down molecules, often releasing potential energy found in chemical bonds.

Reactions that combine monomers to build polymers, usually requiring an input of kinetic energy.

The ability to do work or make things move, including kinetic energy (energy of movement), potential energy (energy in its stored form), and thermal energy (form of kinetic energy associated with heat).

Enzyme-regulated sets of biochemical reactions that lead to either biosynthesis (anabolic pathways) or breakdown (catabolic pathways).

The study of heat energy and its properties, including the First Law of Thermodynamics (energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed and transferred) and the Second Law of Thermodynamics (every energy transfer increases the entropy of the universe).

A measure of the disorder or randomness in a system. It quantifies the amount of information or uncertainty in a set of data. Higher entropy indicates greater randomness, while lower entropy suggests more order or predictability. It is commonly used in information theory and thermodynamics.

Adenosine triphosphate, the main energy currency of cells, is composed of a nucleotide with a chain of three phosphates. Its hydrolysis releases energy used to power cellular reactions.

The process of using energetically favorable reactions (like ATP hydrolysis) to power energetically unfavorable reactions.

The addition of a phosphate group from ATP to a molecule or protein and is often used in reaction coupling to transfer energy and drive reactions forward. Can be used to activate proteins within a transduction pathway in cell signaling.

The major molecular mechanism through which protein function is regulated in response to extracellular stimuli both inside and outside the nervous system.

Enzymes responsible for carrying out protein phosphorylation in a cell. Aka adding a phosphate from ATP to a protein.

Proteins that catalyze chemical reactions and increase the rate of biological reactions by lowering the activation energy required for a reaction to occur.

The substance acted upon by an enzyme, which binds to the enzyme's active site.

The area of an enzyme where the substrate binds, and the shape and charges of the substrate and active site must be compatible for catalysis to occur. VERY specific

A change in shape and loss of function of an enzyme due to changes in temperature and/or pH, which disrupt the hydrogen bonds that support the enzyme's structure.

A measure of the hydrogen ion concentration in a solution, with lower pH values indicating higher hydrogen ion concentrations and higher pH values indicating lower hydrogen ion concentrations.

The rate of reaction catalyzed by an enzyme, which can be affected by factors such as concentration of enzymes and substrates, temperature, pH, and salinity.

Substances that can attach to and inhibit the action of a particular enzyme. Can be allosteric or active.

Molecules that compete for the active site of an enzyme, slowing down the reaction rate by preventing normal substrate binding. Can be in both allosteric and active sites. Only has to prevent another molecule from binding to the active site.

Molecules that attach either near or far from the active site, allowing for the molecule to still bind, but not be transformed in the active site. Prevents the proper function of the enzyme, but does not prevent the proper binding of the substrate to the enzyme.

Temporary deactivation of an enzyme or metabolic pathway is caused by an elevation of an end product of the pathway, which binds to an inhibiting site or feedback site on one of the early enzymes in the pathway.

Molecules or ions that help enhance an enzyme's ability to work.

Reactions during cellular respiration where glucose (or other organic molecules) is oxidized, and electrons and energy are removed from a molecule/atom (oxidation) and added to another molecule/atom (reduction).

The atom/molecule that takes electrons away from another atom/molecule during redox reactions.

The atom/molecule that donates electrons to another atom/molecule during redox reactions.

The stage of aerobic cellular respiration where the pyruvate molecules produced during glycolysis are oxidized, and energy and electrons are used to reduce electron carriers to form NADH and FADH2.

The stage of aerobic cellular respiration where the electron carriers NADH and FADH2 are oxidized, and the energy from these electrons is used to create large amounts of ATP.

The process in which glucose is broken down into two molecules of G3P, which are then further oxidized to form three pyruvates.

The phase of glycolysis where two ATP molecules are used to phosphorylate glucose, making it unstable and allowing it to be broken down into G3P.

An enzyme involved in glycolysis that carries out the second phosphorylation step and is regulated by ATP binding to its allosteric site.

The phase of glycolysis where the two G3P molecules are oxidized, producing NADH and ATP through substrate-level phosphorylation.

A molecule formed during glycolysis and the Krebs Cycle from NAD+ carries electrons and energy to the electron transport chain.

The process in which pyruvate is transported to the mitochondrion and converted to acetyl CoA, producing NADH and releasing carbon dioxide.

A cycle that occurs in the matrix of the mitochondria (or cytoplasm of prokaryotes) where acetyl CoA is oxidized, producing NADH, FADH2, and ATP through substrate-level phosphorylation.

A series of proteins located on the inner mitochondrial membrane (or cell membrane in prokaryotes) transfer electrons from NADH and FADH2, creating a proton gradient and generating ATP through chemiosmosis. Also found in the thylakoid membrane of plant cells.

The process in which the movement of protons from a proton gradient through ATP synthase generates ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate.

The collective term for the electron transport chain and chemiosmosis, where the energy from electron carriers is used to create a proton gradient, which is then used to phosphorylate ADP and produce ATP.

The concept of using the energy from one process to drive another process.

The separation of oxidative phosphorylation from electron transport, resulting in the generation of heat.

Anaerobic cellular respiration is the process of producing energy from glucose without using oxygen. It includes glycolysis and fermentation to generate ATP.

The process in which glucose is used to produce ATP, pyruvate, and NADH.

The process that regenerates NAD+ from NADH in the absence of oxygen, allowing glycolysis to continue.

The process in which pyruvate is used to oxidize NADH and convert it back to NAD+, producing ethanol and carbon dioxide as byproducts.

The process in which pyruvate is used to oxidize NADH and convert it back to NAD+, producing lactic acid as a byproduct.

Organisms that can produce their own food, typically through photosynthesis.

Organisms that consume other organisms for energy and nutrients.

A green pigment found in chloroplasts that absorbs light energy for photosynthesis.

Complex arrangements of chlorophyll and other pigments that capture light energy and transfer it to the reaction center.

The range of wavelengths of light that a pigment can absorb.

The range of wavelengths of light that a pigment reflects.

Yellow, orange, and red pigments that act as accessory pigments in photosynthesis.

The pathway through which electrons travel during photosynthesis.

The first photosystem in the electron flow pathway, was named after its discovery after PSI. Found in chloroplasts.

The second photosystem in the electron flow pathway is named after its discovery before PSII. Found in Chloroplasts

The special pair in PSII that absorbs light best at 680 nm.

The special pair in PSI that absorbs light best at 700 nm.

Part of photosynthesis is where electrons flow linearly, producing ATP and NADPH using light energy in photosystems I and II.

Part of photosynthesis in plants is where only photosystem I is used, and only produces ATP.

The light-independent reactions of photosynthesis that use ATP and NADPH to convert carbon dioxide into glucose.

The carbon-fixing enzyme that attaches carbon dioxide to ribulose bisphosphate during the Calvin Cycle.

The process in which Rubisco attaches oxygen instead of carbon dioxide, leading to a decrease in photosynthetic efficiency.

Plants perform photosynthesis using the Calvin Cycle in mesophyll cells. They have a lower photosynthetic efficiency compared to C4 and CAM plants.

Plants that have a spatial separation between the initial carbon fixation step and the Calvin Cycle, allowing them to close their stomates for extended periods of time and continue photosynthesis without photorespiration.

Plants that have a temporal separation between carbon fixation and the Calvin Cycle, opening their stomata at night to fix carbon and store it as malate, which is then broken down during the day to release a constant supply of carbon dioxide for the Calvin Cycle.

Organisms whose body temperatures vary greatly with the external environment, also known as "cold-blooded" or "thermoconformers".

Organisms that maintain a metabolically favorable, nearly constant internal temperature, largely through internal heat production, also known as "warm-blooded" or "thermoregulators".

The rate at which an organism's body converts food into energy, with endotherms generally having higher metabolic rates than ectotherms.

The ratio of an organism's surface area to its volume, which affects heat exchange with the environment and can impact metabolic rates, with larger endotherms being more efficient at retaining heat.