BIOCHEM 1 & 2

Bioenergetics is the understanding of how energy flows through living organisms. The two main types of bioenergetics are cellular respiration and photosynthesis. Cellular respiration and photosynthesis work together to produce different types of energy necessary for living organisms. Photosynthesis is the process in which plants use carbon dioxide, water, and light energy to produce glucose and oxygen. Photosynthesis starts in an organelle called the chloroplast which is located in the plants eukaryotic cells. Inside the chloroplast there are tiny disk shaped structures called thylakoids. Thylakoids are an important part of photosynthesis because they contain a pigment called chlorophyll that catches the sunlights energy. Photosynthesis takes place in the leaves of plants through small pores called the stomata. The stomata controls the intake of carbon dioxide and release of oxygen. There are two stages in the process of photosynthesis with the first being light-dependent reactions that uses light energy to create two molecules (ATP, NADPH) necessary for photosynthesis. The second stage of photosynthesis is light-independent reactions that are chemical reactions that transform compounds into glucose. Cellular respiration is the process in which cells convert chemical energy into adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is a compound made up of the adenosine molecule connected to three phosphate groups. The purpose of ATP in the cell is to transport energy that is used for metabolic activities. ATP is a very important for the cell without it, the cell wouldn’t be able to survive. There are three stages of cellular respiration which are glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and the electron transport chain. ATP is transformed into ADP (adenosine diphosphate) through a process called hydrolysis. Hydrolysis is when a phosphate group is taken away by the breaking of a bond. Then, energy is released and ATP is then converted into ADP.