Question

objective: breaking down energy
mitochondria are known as the powerhouses of the cell. they are organelles that act like a digestive system that takes in nutrients, breaks them down, and creates energy for the cell. the process of creating cell energy is known as cellular respiration. most of the chemical reactions involved in cellular respiration happen in the mitochondria. a mitochondrion is shaped perfectly to maximize its efforts.

1. what process happens in the mitochondria?

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1. what is the purpose of the process in #1?

introduction to cellular respiration
organisms, such as plants and algae, can trap the energy in sunlight through photosynthesis and store it in the chemical bonds of carbohydrate molecules. the principal carbohydrate formed through photosynthesis is glucose. other types of organisms, such as animals, fungi, protozoa, and a large portion of the bacteria, are unable to perform this process. therefore, these organisms must rely on the carbohydrates formed in plants to obtain the energy necessary for their metabolic processes. this means they must eat plants and other animals in order to gain energy.

1. some organisms perform photosynthesis to produce energy. other organisms cannot do photosynthesis. what can they do in order to generate energy?

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1. animals and other organisms obtain the energy available in carbohydrates through the process of cellular respiration. what is the purpose of cellular respiration?

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cells take the carbohydrates into their cytoplasm, and through a complex series of metabolic processes, they break down the carbohydrates and release the energy. the energy is generally not needed immediately; rather it is used to combine adenosine diphosphate (adp) with another phosphate to form adenosine triphosphate (atp) molecules. the atp can then be used for processes in the cells that require energy, much as a battery powers a mechanical device. during the process of cellular respiration, carbon dioxide is given off. plant cells can use this carbon dioxide during photosynthesis to form new carbohydrates.

1. what happens to carbohydrates during cellular respiration?

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1. what is the chemical energy in the cell called?
2. what does atp stand for?
3. what is one product of cellular respiration?
4. how do animals get rid of the carbon dioxide?
5. what body system is involved with removing this waste?

Explanation:

1. The text explicitly states "Most of the chemical reactions involved in cellular respiration happen in the mitochondria."
2. The mitochondria are described as taking in nutrients, breaking them down, and creating energy for the cell. Cellular respiration (the process in mitochondria) is the way to create cell energy.
3. The text says "These organisms must rely on the carbohydrates formed in plants to obtain the energy necessary for their metabolic processes. This means they must eat plants and other animals in order to gain energy."
4. The overall purpose of cellular respiration (as described for mitochondria's role and in the text about organisms) is to release energy from carbohydrates (in a usable form - ATP as per later text, but the general purpose is energy release).
5. "Cells... break down the carbohydrates and release the energy" is stated in the text.
6. The text mentions "the energy is used to combine adenosine diphosphate (ADP) with another phosphate to form adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecules. The ATP can then be used...", so ATP is the chemical energy.
7. The abbreviation is expanded in the text as "adenosine triphosphate (ATP)".
8. "During the process of cellular respiration, carbon dioxide is given off" - carbon dioxide is a product.
9. Animals release carbon dioxide through exhalation (a common biological fact related to respiration - when they breathe out).
10. The respiratory system is responsible for gas exchange (taking in oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide).

Answer:

1. Cellular respiration
2. To create energy for the cell
3. They must eat plants and other animals (to get carbohydrates and then use cellular respiration to release energy)
4. To release energy from carbohydrates (for cell use)
5. They are broken down (and energy is released)
6. ATP (adenosine triphosphate)
7. Adenosine triphosphate
8. Carbon dioxide
9. By exhalation (breathing out)
10. Respiratory system