Ch.

9: Cellular Respiration
• The process by which cells break down
glucose (C6H12O6), or a nutrient that has
been converted to glucose or one of its
simpler products, into carbon dioxide
(CO2) and water (H2O).
• Potential energy stored in covalent bonds
is released (heat and ATP). ATP allows
cells to do work.
 TERMS TO KNOW
• Coenzyme: a nonprotein organic molecule that
plays an accessory role in enzyme-catalyzed
reactions, often acting as a donor or acceptor of
electrons. NAD+ is a coenzyme.
• Endergonic reaction: a chemical reaction to
which energy from an outside source must be
added before the reaction can proceed
• Exergonic reaction: energy-yielding and tends to
proceed spontaneously
 TERMS TO KNOW
• Activation energy: energy required to
destabilize chemical bonds to initiate a
chemical reaction
• Oxidation: loss of an electron by an atom
or molecule
• Reduction: gain of an electron by an atom
or molecule. Oxidation-reduction
reactions transfer energy in living systems.
Fig. 9.3
Fig. 9.4
 Making ATP from Glucose
Catabolism
• Substrate level phosphorylation: a
phosphate is transferred directly to ADP

• Aerobic Respiration: Electrons (H+) are

harvested, transferred along the Electron
Transport Chain making ATP, and finally
donated to O2, releasing H2O
 Cellular Respiration
- Process that releases energy by breaking down
glucose and other food molecules in the presence of
oxygen.
6O2 + C6H12O6 -> 6CO2 +6H2O + ATP+heat
(reactants) (products)
- Three Stages of Cellular Respiration:
1. glycolysis
2. Krebs Cycle (citric acid cycle)
3. Electron Transport
Fig. 9.6
Fig. 9.7
 Cellular Respiration
• Glycolysis:
1. requires no oxygen (anaerobic)
2. occurs in the cytosol catalyzed by
enzymes
3. 2 molecules of ATP are used to break
one molecule of glucose in 1/2, producing
two molecules of pyruvic acid, NADH
(containing high energy electrons), and 4
molecules of ATP
 Glycolysis cont.
• A small portion of the energy in the glucose is
released and some makes 4 molecules of
ATP (substrate-level phosphorylation)

• Remainder of small portion of energy

released (H+) are transferred to an energy
trransferring molecule(NAD+) which then
become NADH.
Fig. 9.9
Fig. 9.12
 Cellular Respiration
- Krebs Cycle (citric acid cycle)
1. requires oxygen (aerobic)
2. occurs in the inner membrane of mitochondria (where necessary
enzymes are located)
3. pyruvic acid is oxidized into carbon dioxide (released) and
acetyl-CoA. (co-enzyme)
4. Acetyl-CoA joins with a 4-carbon molecule and becomes citric acid
5. Citric acid is oxidized,more carbon dioxide is released, and 10
molecules of NADH and 2 FADH2 (high energy electron
molecules) are produced
6. These high energy molecules and their accompanying protons
move on to the ETC

**If no oxygen is present, fermentation will occur instead of the

Krebs Cycle.
 Cellular Respiration
- Electron Transport:
1. The high energy electrons of NADH and FADH2 are transferred to
special energy accepting molecules (Electron Transport System)
within the cristae of the inner mitochondria
2. As energized electrons leap from one of these molecules to the
next, their energy is used to pump their accompanying protons
from the inner chamber of the mitochondria to the outer chamber.
A concentration gradient builds, and special carrier proteins bring
(pump) protons back in. The energy released from this pumping is
used to convert ADP and a phosphate into 34 more ATP from
each molecule of glucose (chemiosmosis)
 ETC cont.
3. De-energized electrons are then accepted by oxygen
molecule and act as final electron acceptors

4. The electrons are reunited with their accompanying

protons (H+) and water is formed and released If this
final acceptor (O2) is not available, the electrons and
H+ ions will not move down the ETC and no additional
ATP will form in this step.

**36 molecules of ATP represents 38% of total energy

from glucose. Remaining 62% is given off as heat.
Fig. 9.16
Fig. 9.17
Fig. 9.18
Fig. 9.19
Fig. 9.10
Fig. 9.24a
 Anaerobic Respiration
Alcohol Fermentation
Ex. Yeast activity in bread dough
1. Yeast break the sugar in the bread dough into
pyruvate and NADH. The pyruvate is then broken
down into acetaldehyde and CO2 gas (bread
rises)
2. The acetaldehyde becomes the electron acceptor
for NADH, and ethyl alcohol is produced (up to
12%).
Fig. 9.24b
 Anaerobic Respiration
Lactic Acid Fermentation
1. Muscle cells use NADH to convert
pyruvate into lactate (ionized form of
lactic acid)
2. Circulating blood removes excess
lactate, but if production exceeds
removal capability, lactic acid will build in
muscles and interfere with function (and
cause cramps)