BIOL 101: THE SMALLER SIDE OF LIFE
STUDY GUIDE ON RESPIRATION AND PHOTOSYNTHESIS
Prepared by Dr Andre Vosloo
This study guide provides the outcomes you must achieve in order to master the Respiration and Photosynthesis
section of BIOL101. You can use these as your framework for your study notes which you can work through in
your own time, using the textbook and the notes that you take in lectures. If you diligently work through these
outcomes to prepare before lectures AND afterwards when you do revision, you will be well prepared for
assessments, as your reading will be focused on the important aspects of each chapter. Most of the information
and the figures referred to in this section will be contained in your prescribed textbook, although other good
biology textbooks will contain more or less the same information and similar figures.
Summary of icons used in the study guide
This will list the chapters in your prescribed textbook where you can find most of the information.
This icon labels the learning outcomes of the section.
Stop and revise previous content.
Why is this important for the rest of the module/your degree?
This icon will indicate an important web-source/”Make Connections” section in your text book you can use to further
your understanding of the concepts, or with interesting applications of concepts, but these are not examined.
This icon will indicate a specific resource/exercise in on the Mastering Biology platform you need to
access/complete.
This icon will indicate a specific activity you should complete.
The self-evaluation icon indicates which concept checks in the prescribed text book can be used to evaluate your
understanding of the outcomes. The “what if” questions are usually higher-level questions that test your
understanding of the topic. Try to answer the questions without the assistance of your text book and notes.
5 RESPIRATION AND PHOTOSYNTHESIS
Campbell et al Biology 12th edition, (2021). Chapter 10 (Respiration) and 11 (Photosynthesis)
At the end of this section, you will be able to:
- Discuss the balance between anabolic and catabolic reactions;
- Discuss the endosymbiont theory;
- Discuss the structure and function of different subcellular components and organelles;
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- Discuss the structure and function of the plasma membrane and associated extracellular
structures.
This Respiration and Photosynthesis section of BIOL101 relies heavily on previous work, as it
represents the functional integration of biomolecules and cellular structure in the cell. Revise the
following content:
1. Describe the free energy changes in exergonic and endergonic reactions (see Concept 6.2, section
entitled “Free Energy and Metabolism”).
2. Explain the role of ATP in metabolism (see Concept 6.3).
3. Describe the structure of a fat and a carbohydrate (see Concepts 5.2 and 5.3).
4. Explain the potential energy of electrons (see Concept 2.2).
5. Explain the relationship between electronegativity and the polarity of a covalent bond (see
Concept 2.3).
6. Describe the structure and function of mitochondria and chloroplasts (see Concept 7.5)
5.1 Catabolism vs. Anabolism
•
•
•
•
Define catabolism and anabolism.
Classify respiration and photosynthesis as anabolic or catabolic.
Discuss the relationships between a) aerobic respiration, b) fermentation, c) anaerobic respiration and d)
cellular respiration.
Give the balanced chemical equation for the breakdown of glucose through cellular respiration in:
o words;
o
chemical formulas.
Revision and self-assessment: See the following animation for an integration of this section:
https://mediaplayer.pearsoncmg.com/assets/secs-campbell-build-chemical-cyclesystem, then study Fig. 1.9
and Fig. 10.1 (below the photograph of a marmot), and provide labels to the following:
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Watch the introductory video on cellular respiration again:
https://mediaplayer.pearsoncmg.com/assets/secs-bioflix-cellular-respiration-introduction
5.2 Stages of Respiration – cellular location and reactions
Cellular respiration takes place in three distinct phases:
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Glycolysis
(Concept 10.2)
o
o
o
Cellular location?
Name and distinguish between
the two phases of glycolysis.
What is the substrate and what
are the products of glycolysis?
ATP yield =
NADH yield =
https://mediaplayer.pearsoncmg.com/assets/s
ecs-campbell-glycolysis
Pyruvate oxidation & citric acid
cycle (Concept 10.3)
o
o
o
o
Cellular location?
Name and distinguish between
the two stages of this phase.
Describe the three reactions of
pyruvate oxidation.
What is/are the substrate/s and
product/s of the citric acid cycle?
ATP yield =
NADH yield =
FADH2 yield =
https://mediaplayer.pearsoncmg.com/assets/s
ecs-campbell-citricacid-cycle
Oxidative phosphorylation:
electron transport &
chemiosmosis (Concept 10.4)
Cellular location?
Name and distinguish between
the two stages of this phase.
o What is the purpose of the ETC?
o How is the proton gradient
generated across the inner
mitochondrial membrane?
o How is the diffusive power of the
proton gradient harnessed by
ATP synthase?
ATP yield =
o
o
https://mediaplayer.pearsoncmg.com/assets/s
ecs-bio-figure-walkthroughs-free-energychange-during-electron-transport
https://mediaplayer.pearsoncmg.com/assets/s
ecs-bioflix-cellular-respiration-oxidativephosphorylation-electron-transport-andchemiosmosis
This video is really important – be sure to watch it repeatedly:
https://mediaplayer.pearsoncmg.com/assets/secs-campbell-cellular-respiration-v2
5.3 Fermentation and anaerobic respiration enable cells to produce ATP without the
use of oxygen (Concept 10.5)
•
•
How is ATP produced in the absence of oxygen?
Describe how the redox balance is maintained when NADH produced by glycolysis is not utilized by the
ETC.
5.4 Versatility of catabolism
•
Describe how the catabolism of various foodstuffs feed into cellular respiration (Fig. 10.18).
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5.5 Photosynthesis
•
•
•
Provide an overview of chloroplast structure and function.
Distinguish between autotrophs and heterotrophs.
Distinguish the two stages of photosynthesis in terms of:
o Cellular location
o Role
o Substrate/s
o Product/s
5.6 Light reaction (Concept 11.2)
o
o
o
o
Describe the structure and function of the photosystems.
Distinguish between photosystems I and II.
Describe the eight steps of linear electron flow.
Describe the similarities and differences between electron transport and chemiosmosis in respiration and
photosynthesis.
https://mediaplayer.pearsoncmg.com/assets/secs-bio-figure-walkthroughs-light-reactions-atp-nadph
5.7 Calvin cycle (Concept 11.3)
o
o
o
o
Describe the three phases of the Calvin cycle
Describe the role of RuBP and RuBisCO in carbon fixation
Under what conditions do photorespiration occur?
How is the photorespiration specialized in C4 and CAM plants?
https://mediaplayer.pearsoncmg.com/assets/secs-campbell-calvin-cycle
https://mediaplayer.pearsoncmg.com/assets/secs-campbell-photosynthesis-dry-climates
https://mediaplayer.pearsoncmg.com/assets/O1KzM86jIsw84rzLdVa8tcDqgnrmmywU
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