Metabolism Assignment Krebs Cycle 1. To put it simply, cellular respiration is a sequence of metabolic processes that occur within a cell. Biochemical energy is extracted from organic compounds, like glucose, and stored in energy-carrying biomolecules, like ATP, for use in the cell's energy-demanding processes. The stages of cellular respiration include glycolysis where free energy is released to form high energy molecules. (ATP, NADH) The following step is pyruvate oxidation which is the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA. Next comes the citric acid cycle which is responsible for collecting high-energy electrons from carbon sources. Finally, the oxidative phosphorylation where ATP is formed (Khan Academy). 2. CO2 + H2O C6H12O6 + 6O2 Carbon dioxide + Water Glucose (sugar) + Oxygen. In the process of cellular respiration, oxygen and glucose are both reactants. The main product of cellular respiration is ATP, with carbon dioxide and water as waste products (Foundation, 2020). The substrate is glucose (C6H12O6). In the presence of O2, it decomposes into CO2 and H2O, releasing energy in the form of ATP molecules. 3. The role of hydrogen in the electron transport is to transform the hydrogen ions via the ATP synthase as they flow “down” the gradient from the outer to the inner compartment. Low-energy electrons and low-energy hydrogen ions combine with oxygen to produce water after traveling through the electron transport chain (Simon et al., 2016). 4. In the electron transport chain, oxygen is the last acceptor of electrons. The electron transport chain becomes clogged with electrons when oxygen is absent. As a result, the chemical compound Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) cannot be generated, causing glycolysis to create lactic acid rather than pyruvate, which is required for the Krebs Cycle (Bartee et al.). Calvin Cycle 1. The process of turning sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into glucose and oxygen is known as photosynthesis. Carbon dioxide and water are produced during cellular respiration, which consumes glucose and oxygen (Simon, et al., 2016). To operate the photochemistry of the process, oxygenic photosynthesizers employ the green pigment Chlorophyll a, which is found in protein complexes in photosynthetic membranes, whereas anoxygenic photosynthesizers employ Bacteriochlorophyll. The photosynthetic reactions are split into two categories: the light phase which creates reducing power and ATP; and the dark phase where the products of light phase are used to convert CO2 to carbohydrates (Govindjee). 2. The first uses sunlight to generate energy within the cell, while the second uses carbon dioxide to produce carbohydrates. The Calvin cycle is the second, although the name is a little out of style these days. Through microscopic openings in the underside of the leaf, carbon dioxide molecules infiltrate into the cells. 3. Photosynthesis is the act of plant life converting the sun’s energy, water, and carbon dioxide to make glucose and oxygen. Plants consume carbon dioxide and water that is produced by cellular respiration, which then absorbs glucose and oxygen. All living things on Earth are dependent on both the cellular respiration and photosynthesis cycle. Humans and animals inhale the oxygen released by plants during photosynthesis, which is then transported to the cells for respiration. In return, the carbon dioxide released by bodies during respiration is then absorbed by plants to provide them with the energy they require for growth and development. This God ordained eternal cycle for Earth is what sustains all life forms. (Simon, et al., 2016).