Chapter 8: Fuels for Life

Process of Energy Flow and Transformation within the Ecosystem

1. The plants’ leaves (must) absorb Solar energy (through Photosynthesis) to convert carbon dioxide
and water into sugar and oxygen. They also take water and minerals from the soil and carbon dioxide
from the air. (Plants as producers or autotrophs take in/absorb solar energy, water, minerals, and
carbon dioxide and convert these into sugar and oxygen.)

2. When animals (consumers or Heterotrophs) eat plants and other organisms, the chemical energy will
now be passed on to their bodies. To produce energy from sugar (glucose) through cellular respiration,
they must take in oxygen. (Animals need oxygen to produce energy from sugar/glucose through cellular
respiration).

* Once the animals eat the producers, the chemical energy from the food is converted to mechanical
energy for muscle contraction.

3. As an animal dies, its body is eaten by scavengers and broken into small bits .Examples of these are
cockroaches, flies, and wasps. Earthworm is also a scavenger that only feeds on plants.

4. Once the scavenger is done, the decomposers break down and finish the job.

Specialized Cell Organelle for Energy Transformation—Mitochondria

Mitochondria –is a double membrane, spherical-shaped organelles involved in the production of energy;
‘Powerhouse of the cell”
 Cellular Respiration

There are two pathways by which energy is harvested from food: Aerobic & Anaerobic Respiration

Aerobic Respiration –requires oxygen; where oxygen-dependent organisms harvest energy

1. Glycolysis

 breaking down of glucose into pyruvate; glyco = “sugar”; lysis = “to split”; occurs inside cytoplasm
 equation: glucose + 2 ATP + 2NAD+  4ATP + 2NADH + 2pyruvate
 Net Output: 2 NADH, 2 ATP, AND 2 pyruvate

2. Krebs Cycle (Citric Acid Cycle)

 identified by Hans Adolf Krebs, a German-born British physician and biochemist, in 1937
 happens inside mitochondrial matrix -starts with end-product of Glycolysis: pyruvate
 equation: pyruvic acid + 4 NAD+ + FAD+ + 2H2O+ + ADP + Pi  3CO2 + 4NADH2 + FADH2 + ATP
 Net Output: 6 CO2, 8 NADH, 2 FADH, and 2 ATP molecules

3. Electron Transport Chain

 also involves a series of enzyme-controlled reactions that transfer the chemical energy from
hydrogen electrons to ATP;
 The energy carried by NADH from glycolysis and FADH2 from Krebs cycle is used to generate ATP.
 A total of 32ATP molecules are formed from the electrons. Hydrogen atoms are removed from the
glucose molecule. The hydrogen ions then bond to oxygen to form water.
 equation: 6O2 + 8NADH + 4FADH2 + 32ADP  8NAD+ + 4FAD +32 ATP + 12 H2O
PRODUCTS OF CELLULAR RESPIRATION

Phase NADH FADH2 ATP Yield Others

Glycolysis 2 -- 2 2 pyruvate
Krebs Cycle 6 2 2 Carbon dioxide
E. T. C. 10 30 WATER
2 4
TOTAL 38 max
*A net gain of 38 ATP molecules for every glucose molecule (2 from glycolysis, 2 from Krebs cycle, and 34
from electron transport chain.

Anaerobic Respiration –does not require oxygen; where oxygen-independent organisms harvest energy;
to supply immediate energy source (during high-impact activities) because cells in the body cannot store
large amounts of oxygen.

1. Glycolysis –same in aerobic pathway; end product: three-carbon pyruvate

2. Fermentation –recycles materials needed for glycolysis to continue, but doesn’t release any useful
energy.

 Enzymes speed the process in the absence of oxygen.

 NAD+ molecule is needed.
 role: provide glycolysis with a steady supply of NAD+, AND DOES NOT PRODUCE ATP. It allows
glycolysis to continue in order to produce a little amount of ATP.
 produces lactic acid as a waste product which builds up in muscles and causes the sore feeling
 Depending on the type of organism, fermentation converts pyruvate to either ethanol & carbon
dioxide or lactic acid

ATP – Adenosine Triphosphate; “currency” of biological energy

Pyruvate or Pyruvic Acid – contains some stored chemical energy and acts as an intermediate or reactant
for the next part in the metabolic pathway.

NAD+ - Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide

NADH – Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide

FAD - flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)

ADP – adenosine diphosphates

Lactic Acid (C3H6O3)

Quiz 3-6: Differentiate aerobic from anaerobic
I. Identification (10 pts.) respiration.
1. It is also called as producers. V. Define the acronyms (4 pts.)
2. It is the other term for consumers. 1. ATP
3. It is the process by which plants make their 2. NAD+
own food. 3. FAD
4. It is the specialized cell organelle for energy 4. ADP
transformation. It is commonly known as
“powerhouse” of the cell. Answer Key:
5. The stage or process where glucose is broken 1. Autotrophs
down into pyruvate. 2. Heterotrophs
6. He is the biochemist who identified the Krebs 3. Photosynthesis
Cycle. 4. Mitochondria
7. The process that recycles the materials that 5. Glycolysis
are needed to continue glycolysis. This doesn’t 6. Hans Adolf Krebs
release any useful energy. 7. Fermentation
8. It is the waste product of fermentation. 8. Lactic Acid
9. It is the currency of biological energy. 9. ATP
10. It contains some stored chemical energy and 10. pyruvate
acts as an intermediate or reactant for the next II.
part in the metabolic pathway. 1. oxygen
II. Enumeration (15 pts.) 2. sugar / glucose
1-2: Plants produce ________ and _________. 3. solar energy
3-6: 4 things that plants absorb to produce... 4. water
7-9: Three stages involved in Aerobic 5. minerals from the soil
Respiration. 6. carbon dioxide
10-11: Two stages involved in Anaerobic 7. Glycolysis
Respiration. 8. Krebs Cycle
12-13: Give two net output/products of 9. Electron Transport Chain
Glycolysis. 10. Glycolysis
14-15: Give two net outputs of Krebs cycle. 11. Fermentation
III. True or False (5 pts.) 12-13. 2 NADH, 2 ATP, or 2 pyruvate
1. Glycolysis occurs inside the mitochondrial 14-15. 6 NADH, 2 FADH2, 2 ATP, or carbon
matrix. dioxide
2. The Krebs cycle happens in the cytoplasm. III.
3. A maximum of 38 ATP molecules are gained 1. False 2. False 3. True 4. True 5. True
(for every glucose molecule) in one cycle of V.
aerobic respiration. 1. Adenosine Triphosphate
4. Anaerobic Respiration produces 2 ATP. 2. Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide
5. Fermentation does not produce any ATP. 3. Flavin Adenins Dinucleotide
IV. Essay (6 pts.) 4. Adenosine Diphosphates
1-3: Explain the process of energy flow within
the ecosystem