Essay, Research Paper: Cellular Respiration
Biology
Free Biology research papers were donated by our members/visitors and are presented free of charge for informational use only. The essay or term paper you are seeing on this page
was not produced by our company and should not be considered a sample of our research/writing service. We are neither affiliated with the author of this essay nor responsible for its content. If you need high quality, fresh and competent research / writing done on the subject of Biology, use the professional writing service offered by our company.
Cellular respiration begins with glucose. Glucose is the primary fuel used in
glycolysis, the first stage of cellular respiration. This molecule is found in
the gel-like substance called cytoplasm that fills the cell. In glycolysis,
glucose undergoes phosphorylation by ATP. The ATP is converted back to ADP. The
glucose molecule is rearranged and undergoes a second phosphorylation by ATP.
The second ATP is also converted back to ADP. Glucose, a six-carbon molecule, is
split into 2 three-carbon molecules of PGAL. As oxidation takes place, NAD picks
up a hydrogen atom from each molecule to form 2NADH. Phosphorylation takes place
again. For each molecule, 2ADP combine with two phosphates to form a total of 4
ATP, and pyruvic acid molecules are formed. A net gain of 2 ATP have been
formed. As the pyruvic acid molecules make their way toward the mitochondria,
two more molecules of NADH are formed. A carbon atom also breaks off and
combines with two oxygen atoms to produce the waste product carbon dioxide. As a
result of these reactions, each pyruvic acid molecule is transformed into a
two-carbon compound called an acetyl group. The two acetyl groups combine with a
molecule of coenzyme A each to form two acetyl coenzyme A molecules. These
molecules are processed in a complex pathway called the Krebs cycle. As the
Krebs cycle progresses through both pyruvic acid molecules, six molecules of
NADH, two molecules of ATP, and additional carbon dioxide are all formed. FAD
picks up a hydrogen atom from each pyruvic acid molecule, and a total of 2 FAD2
are formed. NADH and FAD2 transport their hydrogen atoms and electrons to the
electron transport chain. The electrons are passed down the chain of attracting
molecules until they reach oxygen. Joined with hydrogen, they combine with the
oxygen to form water. As the electrons flow down the electron chain, they
release energy that is used to make more ATP. Eight of the ten NADH form three
ATP each, while the other two form two ATP. Each of the FADH2 form two ATP. The
number of ATP produced here in the electron transport chain is 32. The total
number of ATP is 38, but the use of two ATP in glycolysis gives a net gain of 36
ATP.
glycolysis, the first stage of cellular respiration. This molecule is found in
the gel-like substance called cytoplasm that fills the cell. In glycolysis,
glucose undergoes phosphorylation by ATP. The ATP is converted back to ADP. The
glucose molecule is rearranged and undergoes a second phosphorylation by ATP.
The second ATP is also converted back to ADP. Glucose, a six-carbon molecule, is
split into 2 three-carbon molecules of PGAL. As oxidation takes place, NAD picks
up a hydrogen atom from each molecule to form 2NADH. Phosphorylation takes place
again. For each molecule, 2ADP combine with two phosphates to form a total of 4
ATP, and pyruvic acid molecules are formed. A net gain of 2 ATP have been
formed. As the pyruvic acid molecules make their way toward the mitochondria,
two more molecules of NADH are formed. A carbon atom also breaks off and
combines with two oxygen atoms to produce the waste product carbon dioxide. As a
result of these reactions, each pyruvic acid molecule is transformed into a
two-carbon compound called an acetyl group. The two acetyl groups combine with a
molecule of coenzyme A each to form two acetyl coenzyme A molecules. These
molecules are processed in a complex pathway called the Krebs cycle. As the
Krebs cycle progresses through both pyruvic acid molecules, six molecules of
NADH, two molecules of ATP, and additional carbon dioxide are all formed. FAD
picks up a hydrogen atom from each pyruvic acid molecule, and a total of 2 FAD2
are formed. NADH and FAD2 transport their hydrogen atoms and electrons to the
electron transport chain. The electrons are passed down the chain of attracting
molecules until they reach oxygen. Joined with hydrogen, they combine with the
oxygen to form water. As the electrons flow down the electron chain, they
release energy that is used to make more ATP. Eight of the ten NADH form three
ATP each, while the other two form two ATP. Each of the FADH2 form two ATP. The
number of ATP produced here in the electron transport chain is 32. The total
number of ATP is 38, but the use of two ATP in glycolysis gives a net gain of 36
ATP.
3
6
Good or bad? How would you rate this essay?
Help other users to find the good and worthy free term papers and trash the bad ones.
Help other users to find the good and worthy free term papers and trash the bad ones.
Get a Custom Paper on Biology:
Free papers will not meet the guidelines of your specific project. If you need a custom essay on Biology: , we can write you a high quality authentic essay. While free essays can be traced by Turnitin (plagiarism detection program), our custom written papers will pass any plagiarism test, guaranteed. Our writing service will save you time and grade.
Related essays:
2
2
Biology / Ceriodaphnia
Anatomy: Ceriodaphnia has six pairs of lobed legs which bear numerous hairs.
Their head is bent downwards and is set from the body by a cervical sinus. The
head also has two large secondary antennas t...
1
0
Biology / Charles Darwin And Natural Selection
Charles Darwin revolutionized biology when he introduced The
Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection in 1859. Although Wallace had
also came upon this revelation shortly before Origins was pu...
0
0
Biology / Charles Darwin
Darwin was born in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. He was the son of Robert Waring
Darwin and his wife Susannah; and the grandson of the scientist Erasmus Darwin,
and of the potter Josiah Wedgwood. His mother...
0
0
Biology / Charles Darwin
Like many students, Charles Darwin was only interested in topics that was interesting
to him and although his father was a doctor, Darwin was very uninterested in
medicine and he also couldn't stand...
0
0
Biology / Peter Mitchell
Peter Mitchell (1920 - 1992) : Chemiosmotic Hypothesis Peter Mitchell's 1961
paper introducing the chemiosmotic hypothesis started a revolution which has
echoed beyond bioenergetics to all biology, ...
Property of MEDIATECH LIMITED