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General Biology Exam 3 Study Guide

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  • What is metabolism?

    Metabolism is the sum of all chemical reactions that happen in a cell or organism.

  • Difference between catabolic and anabolic pathways

    Catabolic pathways break larger molecules into smaller ones and release energy. Anabolic pathways build larger molecules from smaller ones and require energy.

  • Types of reactions in catabolic vs. anabolic pathways

    Hydrolysis adds water to break bonds (catabolic). Dehydration synthesis removes water to form bonds (anabolic).

  • Difference between kinetic and potential energy

    Kinetic energy is energy of motion. Potential energy is stored energy based on position or structure, like chemical bonds.

  • Why is an organism considered an open system?

    It exchanges both energy and matter with its surroundings, e.g., taking in food and releasing heat and waste.

  • First and second laws of thermodynamics

    First law: energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or transformed. Second law: every energy transfer increases entropy; some energy becomes less available, often as heat.

  • Equation for free-energy change and its components

    ΔG = ΔH − TΔS, where ΔG is free energy change, ΔH is enthalpy change, T is temperature in kelvin, and ΔS is entropy change.

  • What is entropy and its role in reactions?

    Entropy measures disorder or energy dispersal. Reactions increasing entropy often favor spontaneity, but spontaneity depends on ΔG, not entropy alone.

  • Difference between exergonic and endergonic reactions

    Exergonic reactions release free energy (ΔG < 0). Endergonic reactions require energy input (ΔG > 0).

  • Three main kinds of cellular work

    Chemical work (building molecules), transport work (moving substances across membranes), and mechanical work (movement like muscle contraction).

  • How do cells obtain energy for work?

    Cells couple energy-releasing reactions, often ATP hydrolysis, to energy-requiring work.

  • Structure and macromolecule class of ATP

    ATP is a nucleotide composed of adenine, ribose sugar, and three phosphate groups.

  • How does ATP perform cellular work?

    ATP hydrolysis removes the terminal phosphate, forming ADP + phosphate and releasing free energy, often changing a target molecule’s shape or reactivity.

  • Function of enzymes in biological systems

    Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed reactions by lowering activation energy and are not consumed in the reaction.

  • Why is activation energy needed for spontaneous reactions?

    Even reactions with negative ΔG need an initial energy push to reach the transition state and start bond breaking/forming.

  • How does enzyme structure determine specificity?

    An enzyme’s active site has a specific shape and chemical environment that fits certain substrates, ensuring specificity.

  • Induced-fit model of enzyme function

    When a substrate binds, the enzyme’s active site changes shape slightly to fit more closely and facilitate the reaction.

  • Mechanisms enzymes use to lower activation energy

    Enzymes orient substrates, strain bonds, create favorable environments, or form temporary bonds with substrates.

  • Effect of substrate concentration on enzyme activity

    Increasing substrate increases reaction rate until active sites saturate; then rate levels off.

  • Factors influencing enzyme activity

    Temperature, pH, substrate/enzyme concentration, salt conditions, and cofactors affect enzyme shape and activity; extremes can denature enzymes.

  • Ways enzymes can be regulated

    Regulation includes competitive/noncompetitive inhibitors, allosteric activators/inhibitors, feedback inhibition, covalent modification, and enzyme synthesis control.

  • Difference between oxidation and reduction

    Oxidation is loss of electrons; reduction is gain of electrons. (OIL RIG: Oxidation Is Loss, Reduction Is Gain)

  • Role of redox reactions in energy exchange

    Electrons move from higher to lower potential energy molecules, releasing energy captured to make ATP.

  • Stages of cellular respiration and what is oxidized/reduced

    Glycolysis: glucose oxidized, NAD+ reduced to NADH. Pyruvate oxidation: pyruvate oxidized, NAD+ reduced. Citric acid cycle: acetyl carbons oxidized, NAD+/FAD reduced. ETC: NADH/FADH2 oxidized, oxygen reduced.

  • Role of NAD+ in cellular respiration

    NAD+ is an electron carrier that accepts electrons and hydrogen to become NADH, transporting them to the ETC.

  • Role of the electron transport chain (ETC)

    ETC passes electrons through membrane proteins, pumping H+ to create a gradient that powers ATP synthase; oxygen is the final electron acceptor.

  • Where do the three stages of cellular respiration occur?

    Glycolysis: cytosol. Pyruvate oxidation and citric acid cycle: mitochondrial matrix. Oxidative phosphorylation: inner mitochondrial membrane.

  • How does glucose change during glycolysis?

    One six-carbon glucose splits into two three-carbon pyruvate molecules.

  • Why is ATP required in preparatory steps of glycolysis?

    Two ATP phosphorylate and destabilize glucose and intermediates, enabling splitting and later energy recovery.

  • Difference between substrate-level and oxidative phosphorylation

    Substrate-level phosphorylation transfers phosphate directly to ADP. Oxidative phosphorylation uses the H+ gradient from ETC to drive ATP synthase.