ATP Production in Cellular Respiration

Create a visual representation to describe the structure of cell membranes and how membrane structure leads to the establishment of electrochemical gradients and the formation of ATP.

Take a look at this simplified drawing of the Electron Transport Chain, and how it creates ATP through the movement of H+ ions across the membrane.

Photosynthetic Animals

Pose scientific questions about what mechanisms and structural features allow organisms to capture, store, and use free energy (e.g., autotrophs versus heterotrophs, photosynthesis, chemosynthesis, anaerobic versus aerobic respiration).

Is it possible for animals to photosynthesize? Why or why not?

A Look At Photosynthesis

Refine or revise a visual representation to more accurately depict the light-dependent and light-independent (i.e., Calvin cycle) reactions of photosynthesis and the dependency of the processes in the capture and storage of free energy.

Light-dependent reactions occur in Photosystem II, and light-independent reactions occur in Photosystem I. The two pictures below show the interactions between the two.

Mastering Biology | Pearson; Campbell Biology

Fish are Cooler Than Humans

Describing 2–3 different strategies that organisms employ to obtain free energy for cell processes (e.g., different metabolic rates, physiological changes, variations in reproductive and offspring-rearing strategies).

1. Regulation of body temperature: Tuna fish are able to regulate their internal body temperature better than some other sea life. This allows them to swim in a varying range of temperatures. This mobility gives them access to a greater amount of resources.

   

   http://www.fao.org/fishery/topic/16082/en

2. Consumption of other organisms: We humans obtain practically ALL of our energy through eating plants and other animals. Because we are unable to photosynthesize, or hunt stealthily for our food, we have had to improvise and become a species that farms and raises animals for food.

   

   http://veganfeministnetwork.com/tag/food/

Mustard Plants

Propose experimental designs by which the rate of photosynthesis and respiration can be measured and studied.

Plants go through both photosynthesis and cellular respiration, so they would be perfect subjects to use in an experiment that measures the rate of the two processes. Mustard plants [these plants are easy to grow, and grow quite rapidly] can be grown under lights with different colored filter, and their growth will be monitored to see how photosynthesis is impacted by different colored waves of light. To study the rate of respiration, a separate set of mustard plants can be grown in containers that vary in the amount of oxygen they allow in for the plant to use. Light is required for photosynthesis, and oxygen is required for respiration, so these are the two independent variables that will be changed, and the dependent variable, growth of plant, will provide rates of photosynthesis and respiration.

http://www.vegetablegardener.com/item/3477/how-to-grow-mustard/page/all

The Canadia Goose

Explain how energetic requirements contribute to the adaptations of organisms.  Provide examples to support your statements.

Over time, organisms evolve according to the amount of energy available for their consumption in the environment they habitat. Birds, for example, migrate during colder seasons to warmer areas where their food is more readily available. If Canadian geese were to stay up north during winter, they would die from the extreme cold temperatures before they would starve. Even if they were able to survive the winter cold, they still would starve as there is no vegetation available to feed on.

http://www.walkingmountains.org/2015/03/reintroduction-of-the-canada-goose/

Siblings, Not Twins.

Explain the relationship between photosynthesis and cellular respiration at the molecular, organismal, and ecosystem levels of organization.

Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are very similar because they are essentially the reverse process of one another. Photosynthesis uses energy to create sugar, and cellular respiration breaks down sugar to create energy.

Photosynthesis: 6CO₂ + 6H₂O → C₆H₁₂O₆+ 6O₂

Cellular Respiration: C₆H₁₂O₆+ 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O + energy

So on the molecular level, these two are palindromes of each other.

The only organisms that have photosynthesis are plants, other organisms only have cellular respiration. So in an ecosystem, trees and other plants would use photosynthesis to create food for themselves. In the process, they would expel oxygen, which powers the animal kingdom’s ability to breath and ability to go through cellular respiration.

Chemiosmosis

Describe the process of chemiosmosis and compare its function in photosynthetic and respiratory pathways.

Chemiosmosis is the movement of ions across a membrane, following the concentration gradient. In photosynthetic and respiratory pathways, H+ ions are pumped through the electron transport chain to create ATP. In respiratory pathways, ATP is produced almost at every step of the process, with the most being produced at the ETC. In photosynthetic pathways, ATP is mainly formed in photosystem II where the ETC in the thylakoid membrane produces ATP.

Photosynthesis: Prime Sightseeing Locations

Match all photosynthetic processes to their location in a typical eukaryotic, autotrophic cell.

Light-dependent reactions - thylakoids within chloroplasts

Calvin Cycle - stroma of chloroplasts

Tracking Energy & Matter in Photosynthesis

Trace the movement of energy and matter through all photosynthetic processes.

Energy enters as light in the chloroplast, where it is utilized to create ATP and NADPH [in light-dependent reactions] which will aid in the formation of sugar in the calvin cycle. It then is cycled back into light-dependent reactions as ADP and NADP+ where it is formed back into ATP and NADPH with light energy.

Water is the first substance to enter the photosynthetic process, but it leaves as oxygen. Carbon dioxide enters next, and exits as sugar. These two processes occur simultaneously, the first in thylakoids, and the second in the stroma of the chloroplast in the calvin cycle.

Light Reactions and Calvin Klein Cycle

Explain the inputs, major processes, and outputs of the light reactions and the Calvin Cycle.

Light Reactions

Input: H₂O, Light

Output: O₂, ATP, NADPH
Here, Light energy and water is utilized to create ATP and NADPH which will go into the Calvin Cycle and power it to create sugar the plant can use as food.

Calvin Cycle

Input: CO₂, ATP, NADPH

Output: Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate [G3P]
This is an anabolic action that uses ATP’s energy and NADPH’s reducing power [gain of electrons, storage of energy] to build sugar. Carbon dioxide enters the cycle and is fixated by the enzyme rubisco, then reduction occurs as the carbon dioxide becomes sugar. But, this must occur three times for one G3P to be formed. So, once carbon dioxide is fixated and reduced,the CO₂ acceptor RuBP is regenerated so that the next carbon dioxide entering the cycle can be fixated. Once this process occurs thrice, a sugar [G3P] is created.

https://biologycieri.wikispaces.com/Week+15  AND   http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/gif-shows-you-just-how-photoshopped-justin-biebers-calvin-klein-ads-were-162280  →but there is really no need for you to visit this site.

p.s. It's not called the 'Calvin Klein Cycle'. It's just Calvin.

Cellular Respiration: Prime Sightseeing Locations

Match all cellular respiratory processes to their locations in a typical eukaryotic cell.

Glycolysis - cytosol outside of mitochondria

Pyruvate Oxidation - occurs during the movement of pyruvate from cytosol to matrix. Pyruvate is oxidized to Acteyl CoA.

Citric Acid Cycle - matrix of the mitochondria

Oxidative Phosphorylation & Electron Transport Chain - cristae of mitochondria

https://www.studyblue.com/notes/note/n/bisc-103-midterm-i/deck/1084064

Tracking Energy & Matter in Cellular Respiration

Trace the movement of energy and matter through all cellular respiratory processes.

Energy enters as Glucose and through glycolysis it is broken down to create ATP, pyruvate, and NADH. NADH now carries energy to the electron transport chain where the most ATP is created with the help of the proton-motive force. The PTM ‘powers’ the ETC as it uses the electrochemical gradient and ratio of protons & electrons provided by electron carriers [such as NADH] to push the actions of the ETC to create ATP. 
So based off of the movement of energy, matter moves through the mitochondria starting outside the organelle in the cytosol. The products of glycolysis move into the mitochondria where they undergo further break down and oxidation of energy, finally moving to the ETC in the cristae of the mitochondria. Here, the most ATP is created and this energy material is used to power the cell.

Glycolysis, Fermentation, Death and Aerobic Cellular Respiration

Explain the inputs, major processes, and outputs of glycolysis, fermentation, and aerobic cellular respiration.
Glycolysis

Input: Glucose, ADP, NAD+

Output: Pyruvate, ATP, NADH

After a glucose molecule enters the cell, it is broken down in the cytoplasm. It is oxidized [loss of electrons, loss of energy] to 2 pyruvate, 2 ATP, and 2 NADH. NADH carries electrons to the electron transport chain, where most the most ATP is made in cellular respiration. The pyruvate enters the mitochondria and enters the citric acid cycle after it is oxidized into Acetyl CoA.

Fermentation

Input: Glucose, ADP

Output: Lactate OR Alcohol and CO₂, ATP

Fermentation occurs when there is no oxygen available for cellular respiration. Oxygen helps create the most ATP, but ATP still needs to be made even if oxygen is not available. ATP keeps organisms running. Because fermentation does not create as much ATP, I guess this may explain why oxygen-breathing organisms die when their supply of air is cut off. Fermentation uses phosphorylation to enzymatically create ATP. This results in the production of lactate [animals produce this] OR alcohol and CO₂ [bacteria produce this] which is harmful for organisms as the buildup can cause fatigue.

Aerobic Cellular Respiration

Input: Oxygen, Glucose, ADP, NAD+

Output: ATP

Aerobic respiration is complete cellular respiration, with glycolysis being the first step. Once 1 molecule of glucose has been broken down to 2 ATP, 2 NADH [this goes directly to the electron transport chain (ETC)], and 2 pyruvate, the pyruvate is oxidized [loss of electrons, loss of energy] and turns into Acetyl CoA. This enters the citric acid cycle, where every turn produces 2 CO₂, 3 NADH, 1 FADH, and 1 ATP. This gives us a total of 4 CO₂, 6 NADH, 2 FADH, and 2 ATP. The FADH and NADH, which contain the energy of the process, move to the ETC. Here, at the ETC, FADH and NADH are utilized to create the most ATP, about 30-32 to be exact.