Mitochondria & Chloroplasts definitions Flashcards
Related flashcards
Related practice sets
More setsTerms in this set (17)
Mitochondria
The powerhouse of the cell, it generates ATP through cellular respiration and contains its own DNA, ribosomes, and enzymes within the mitochondrial matrix.
Photosynthesis
The process by which plants, algae, and some bacteria convert light energy, carbon dioxide, and water into glucose and oxygen, primarily occurring in chloroplasts.
Chloroplasts
Organelles in plant cells where photosynthesis occurs, converting sunlight, CO‚ÇÇ, and water into sugars and oxygen, containing thylakoids, DNA, and ribosomes.
Cellular Respiration
The mitochondrial process that converts glucose and oxygen into ATP, water, and carbon dioxide, providing energy for cellular activities.
ATP
A molecule that stores and transfers energy within cells, primarily produced in the mitochondria during cellular respiration.
Mitochondrial DNA
Genetic material found in the mitochondria, inherited maternally, and responsible for encoding proteins essential for cellular respiration and energy production.
Enzymes
Biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions by lowering activation energy, crucial for processes like cellular respiration and photosynthesis.
Outer Membrane
The lipid bilayer that forms the outermost boundary of mitochondria, providing a barrier and containing proteins for transport and signaling.
Inner Membrane
The membrane within mitochondria that contains folds called cristae, crucial for ATP production during cellular respiration.
Intermembrane Space
The space between the inner and outer mitochondrial membranes, crucial for the proton gradient in cellular respiration.
Mitochondrial Matrix
Innermost compartment of mitochondria containing mitochondrial DNA, ribosomes, and enzymes crucial for cellular respiration and ATP production.
Cristae
Folds of the inner mitochondrial membrane that increase surface area for ATP production during cellular respiration.
Sugars
Sugars are energy-rich molecules produced by photosynthesis, used by both plants and animals for energy.
Carbon Dioxide
A colorless, odorless gas produced by respiration and combustion, essential for photosynthesis, and a key greenhouse gas contributing to global warming.
Thylakoids
Membrane-bound sacs within chloroplasts containing chlorophyll, where the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis occur.
Chlorophyll
A pigment in chloroplasts that absorbs light energy for photosynthesis, converting solar energy into chemical energy stored in glucose.
Light Reactions
The initial phase of photosynthesis where light energy is converted into chemical energy in the form of ATP and NADPHoccurring in the thylakoid membranes of chloroplasts.