Cellular Respiration Vocabulary
ATP synthase - A group of membrane proteins found in the mitochondrial that function in
chemiosmosis, using the energy of a hydrogen ion concentration gradient to make ATP.
acetyl coenzyme A -The entry compound for the Krebs cycle in cellular respiration; formed from
a piece of pyruvate attached to coenzyme A.
anaerobic respiration – respiration in the absence of oxygen.
carbon dioxide -A waste product released during Kreb’s Cycle.
Chemiosmosis -An energy coupling mechanism that uses energy stored in the form of a
hydrogen ion gradient across the mitochondrial membrane to drive the synthesis of ATP. Most ATP
synthesis in cells occurs by chemiosmosis.
electron transport chain - A sequence of electron carrier molecules in the mitochondrial membrane
that shuttle electrons releasing their energy.
Ethanol - Product of alcohol fermentation, a type of anaerobic respiration.
Pyruvate – The product of glycolysis, contains 3 carbons.
FADH/FADH2 - an electron carrier created in Glycolysis and Kreb’s Cycle and used to create ATP in the
Electron Transport Chain.
Fermentation- makes a limited amount of ATP from glucose without an electron transport chain and
produces a characteristic end product, such as ethyl alcohol or lactic acid.
Glucose -Original reactant of Glycolysis and cellular respiration.
Glycolysis -The starting point for fermentation or aerobic respiration splitting glucose into pyruvate,
occurs in the cytosol.
Kreb's (Citric Acid) cycle - A chemical cycle that is the 2nd part of respiration and creates large amounts
of NADH and FADH2 in the mitochondrion.
lactic acid fermentation -The conversion of pyruvate to lactate with no release of carbon dioxide.