3 7 cell respiration

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3.7 – Cell Respiration 3.7.1 - Define cell respiration The controlled release of energy from organic compounds in cells in the form of ATP

3.7.2 – State that, in cell respiration, glucose in the cytoplasm is broken down by glycolysis into pyruvate, with a small yield of ATP Cells transfer energy by breaking down nutrients, mainly carbohydrates like glucose, through the process of cell respiration. Plants synthesise these nutrients using sunlight in photosynthesis, while heterotrophs will digest them from their food. Cell respiration takes place in a number of steps, which helps to control the release of energy. There are multiple enzymes which catalyse these reactions, and the energy is able to be trapped in the molecule ATP (adenosine triphosphate). It is a nucleotide that carries three phosphate groups. The nature of the molecule means that it is soluble and small enough to pass through the cell membrane quite easily. It contains a lot of chemical energy within its structure. The first step is glycolysis, which takes place in the cytoplasm of the cell. Once broken down, the glucose molecule (which has six carbon atoms) forms two pyruvate molecules (each with three carbon atoms). A small yield of two molecules of ATP are produced.

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