Introduction to energy for biological processes

• Why do living organisms require energy?

  To carry out essential processes such as transport, growth, and repair
• What is an example of energy use in plants?

  Active transport of nutrients by roots
• How do organisms utilize energy for growth and repair?

  By building polymers such as proteins and nucleic acids
• How does energy flow through living organisms?

  • Energy from the sun is captured by plants
  • Plants convert sunlight into chemical energy through photosynthesis
  • Energy is transferred through food chains as organisms consume one another
  • Energy is released during respiration
• What is the significance of carbon-hydrogen bonds in respiration and photosynthesis?

  They form non-polar bonds that require less energy to break
• What happens when carbon and hydrogen bond with oxygen atoms?

  They form carbon dioxide and water, resulting in larger quantities of energy
• What is produced as a result of breaking carbon-hydrogen bonds?

  Carbon dioxide and water
• What is another name for the H+ ion?

  Proton
• How does the energy from excited electrons generate a proton gradient?

  • Excited electrons move through the electron transport chain.
  • Energy released pumps protons (H+) across the membrane.
  • Results in a high concentration of protons on one side and a low concentration on the other.
• What is meant by the term "chemiosmosis"?

  Chemiosmosis refers to the movement of protons across a membrane through ATP synthase to generate ATP.
• What is the overall process of photosynthesis summarized as?

  • Conversion of light energy into chemical energy.
  • Involves the synthesis of glucose from carbon dioxide and water.
  • Occurs in two main stages: light-dependent reactions and the Calvin cycle.
• What role does ATP play in photosynthesis?

  ATP provides energy for the synthesis of glucose during the Calvin cycle.
• What is the function of ATP synthase in chemiosmosis?

  ATP synthase synthesizes ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate using the energy from the proton gradient.
• What are the key components involved in generating a proton gradient during photosynthesis?

  • Excited electrons from chlorophyll.
  • Electron transport chain.
  • Proton pumps that move protons across the thylakoid membrane.
  • ATP synthase that utilizes the proton gradient.