AP Bio Unit 3

What is the overall equation for photosynthesis?

6CO2 + 6H2O —> C6H12O6 + 6O2

What is the overall equation for cellular respiration?

C6H12O6 + 6 O2 --> 6 CO2 + 6 H2O

Describe the process of chemiosmosis. Identify two places this occurs in a plant. What does this process help make?

Chemiosmosis involves the pumping of protons through special channels in the membranes of mitochondria from the inner to the outer compartment. The pumping establishes a proton (H+) gradient. After the gradient is established, protons diffuse down the gradient through a transport protein called ATP synthase. The flow of hydrogens catalyze the pairing of a phosphate with ADP, forming ATP. In plants, chemiosmosis happens both in the thylakoids of the chloroplasts and in the mitochondria.

Explain how different wavelengths of light lead to different absorbance patterns in pigments. How is this light used by organisms to create energy?

Different kinds of pigments exist, each of which has evolved to absorb only certain wavelengths or colors of visible light. Pigments reflect or transmit the wavelengths they cannot absorb, making them appear in the corresponding color. Light energy initiates the process of photosynthesis when pigments absorb the light. Light-dependent reactions, which take place in photosystem I and II, convert solar energy into NADPH and ATP.

The muscle "burn" that you feel when doing strenuous activity is caused by a buildup of lactic acid in the muscle tissue of your body. Explain this phenomenon in the context of cellular respiration and fermentation.

Fermentation in muscle cells produces a waste product called lactic acid. The temporary buildup of lactic acid in muscle cells contributes to the fatigue you feel during and after a long run or a set of push-ups. Your body consumes oxygen as it converts the lactic acid back to pyruvic acid.

What is the difference between germinating seeds and non-germinating seeds? How could we have improved the lab to accurately compare crickets to germinating seeds?

Germinating peas require energy to grow, and between germinating and non-germinating peas, we should see higher rates of respiration in germinating peas. We could have improved the lab by comparing the same mass of crickets and germinating seeds in the test tubes(?)

Explain the evolutionary significance of glycolysis and how that relates to the early Earth atmosphere. How does this support the idea of endosymbiotic theory?

Glycolysis does not use oxygen because ancient prokaryotes used glycolysis to make ATP way before oxygen even existed. Due to no requirement of oxygen, the first prokaryotes generated ATP only through glycolysis, due to the fact that it can be performed without oxygen.

Other than environmental factors, what else causes an enzyme's activity to increase or decrease?

Temperature (increase) pH (increase) Substrate concentration (decrease)

Why is the Calvin cycle also called the "light-independent reactions?" What process occurs during this cycle and what is used?

The Calvin cycle does not use light energy. The Calvin cycle has four main steps: carbon fixation, reduction phase, carbohydrate formation, and regeneration phase. Energy to fuel chemical reactions in this sugar-generating process is provided by ATP and NADPH, chemical compounds which contain the energy plants have captured from sunlight.

What does it mean for an organism to be an autotroph? What types of organisms are heterotrophs? Identify 2 autotrophs.

an organism that is able to form nutritional organic substances from simple inorganic substances such as carbon dioxide. Animals are heterotrophs. Algae, grass, and other plants.

Thermophilic bacteria such as thermus aquatics live in hot springs where the temperature is greater than 70*C. Draw a graph of this bacteria enzyme activity vs temperature and explain your reasoning.

there would be higher enzyme activity with higher temperatures