Question

Briefly explain the steps of the photosynthesis-cellular respiration cycle.

Answer 1

Glycolysis ("splitting of sugar"): This step happens in the cytoplasm.

One Glucose (C6H12O6) is broken down to 2 molecules of pyruvic acid. Results in the production of 2 ATPs for every glucose. (page 113 of your book goes into painful detail about this process, but all YOU need to know is that glucose is split into to 2 molecules of pyruvate!)

2: Transition Reaction: Pyruvic Acid is shuttled into the mitochondria, where it is converyed to a molecule called Acetyl CoA for further breakdown.

3: The Krebs Cycle, or Citric Acid Cycle: Occurs in the mitochondrial matrix, the liquid-y part of the mitochondria.

In the presence of Oxygen gas (O2), all the hydrogens (H2) are stripped off the Acetyl CoA, two by two, to extract the electrons for making ATP, until there are no hydrogens left - and all that is left of the sugar is CO2 - a waste product - and H2O (exhale). The Krebs cycle results in the production of only ~4 ATPs, but produces a lot of NADH, which will go on to the next step... Hans Krebs won the Nobel Prize in 1953 for his discovery of the Citric Acid Cycle.

4: The Electron Transport Chain and Chemiosmosis ("the big ATP payoff"). Occurs in the christae of the mirochondria, the folded membranes inside the chloroplast.

Electrons from Hydrogen are carried by NADH and passed down an electron transport chain to result in the production of ATP. Results in the production of ~32 ATPs for every glucose. Peter Mitchell won the Nobel Prize in 1978 for his work on energy production in mitochondria, called the Chemiosmotic Theory.

Answer 2

wow so this is the whole answer?

Answer 3

Yeah

Answer 4

thanks for the medal

Answer 5

anytime