Photosynthesis
This green pigment inside the chloroplast absorbs light energy for photosynthesis.
chlorophyll
This is the primary cellular "energy currency" molecule produced during aerobic respiration.
What is ATP (adenosine triphosphate)?
Fermentation occurs when this vital gas is absent (low oxygen or anaerobic conditions).
What is oxygen (O₂)?
The term "anaerobic" literally means the absence of this.
What is oxygen?
In the complete, balanced chemical equation for photosynthesis, how many molecules of water (H₂O) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) are required to build one molecule of glucose?
What is 6 molecules of each (6CO₂ + 6H₂O → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂)?
These are the two main products of photosynthesis.
What are glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆) and oxygen (O₂)?
This organelle is known as the "powerhouse" of the cell where aerobic respiration takes place.
What is the mitochondria?
This is the net number of ATP molecules produced per glucose molecule during fermentation.
What is 2 ATP (from glycolysis alone)?
Both aerobic respiration and anaerobic respiration always begin with this 10-step sugar-splitting pathway in the cytoplasm.
What is glycolysis?
An SOL question shows a diagram of a plant submerged in water under a bright light, producing visible bubbles. These bubbles consist of what specific gas?
What is oxygen (O₂)?
This organelle is the site of photosynthesis in plant cells.
What is the chloroplast?
This is the total net number of ATP molecules typically produced from one glucose molecule during aerobic cellular respiration.
What is 36 ATP (or ~36–38 ATP)?
Human muscle cells undergo this type of fermentation during intense exercise when oxygen runs low, causing soreness or cramps.
What is lactic acid fermentation?
From an energetic efficiency standpoint, aerobic respiration yields roughly 36 ATP while anaerobic fermentation yields only 2 ATP. This means aerobic respiration is about how many times more efficient?
What is 18 times more efficient (36 / 2 = 18)?
If a diagram of a cell highlights an arrow pointing into a mitochondrion alongside oxygen and glucose, what two chemical products will be shown leaving the mitochondrion?
What are carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water (H₂O)? (ATP is also produced, but these are the material products).
The light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis release this gas as a byproduct, while the light-independent reactions (Calvin Cycle) use this gas to build glucose.
What is oxygen (released) and carbon dioxide (CO₂, used/absorbed)?
These are the three main stages of aerobic cellular respiration in order.
What are Glycolysis, the Krebs Cycle (Citric Acid Cycle), and the Electron Transport Chain (ETC)?
Yeast cells undergo this type of fermentation, producing alcohol and carbon dioxide (CO₂).
What is alcoholic fermentation?
On a Virginia Biology SOL graph showing predator-prey or carbon-oxygen cycles, an increase in the number of forest trees will have this immediate effect on atmospheric oxygen and glucose availability.
What is increase oxygen and increase available food/glucose for heterotrophs?
n a classic SOL lab experiment, a student places yeast and sugar water inside a sealed flask connected to a balloon. As fermentation occurs, the balloon inflates. What gas is inflating the balloon?
What is carbon dioxide (CO₂)?
This is the relationship between the equation for photosynthesis and the equation for cellular respiration.
What is an inverse or cyclic relationship (the reactants of one are the products of the other)?
Oxygen acts as the final electron acceptor in the electron transport chain, combining with hydrogen ions to form this waste product.
What is water (H₂O)?
The main purpose of the second step of fermentation (converting pyruvate to lactic acid or ethanol) is to recycle this electron carrier so glycolysis can keep running.
What is NAD⁺?
Why can't complex multicellular animals rely on fermentation alone for long-term energy demands?
What is 2 ATP per glucose is far too low to sustain the high energy demands of large, active organisms (and lactic acid/toxins would build up)?
A standard SOL diagram shows a molecule with an adenine base, a ribose sugar, and three phosphate groups. When the bond between the second and third phosphate group is broken, what two things are released?
What are energy and a free phosphate group (leaving behind ADP)?