how do cells use food using big idea of energy
I am wondering what the big idea of energy is. The big idea of energy this century is mass and energy are equivalent, that is, mass is energy, and energy is mass, E=mc^2
Cells use food through the process of cellular respiration, which can be explained through the big idea of energy.
The big idea of energy in Biology is that energy is constantly being transferred and transformed within living organisms. In the case of cells, the energy from food molecules is transformed into a form of energy that cells can use efficiently, known as adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
To understand how cells use food, we can break down the process of cellular respiration into three main steps: glycolysis, the citric acid cycle (also called the Krebs cycle), and oxidative phosphorylation.
1. Glycolysis: The process starts with the breakdown of glucose, a simple sugar molecule, into two molecules of a compound called pyruvate. This occurs in the cytoplasm of the cell. During this step, a small amount of ATP is produced.
2. Citric Acid Cycle: Pyruvate enters the mitochondria, which are the powerhouse of the cell. Inside the mitochondria, pyruvate is further broken down into carbon dioxide in a series of chemical reactions. As a result of these reactions, energy carriers (such as NADH and FADH2) are produced.
3. Oxidative Phosphorylation: The energy carriers produced in the previous step donate their high-energy electrons to a chain of proteins embedded in the inner mitochondrial membrane. This chain of proteins is called the electron transport chain. As the electrons move through the chain, energy is released and used to pump protons (H+) across the membrane. This creates a concentration gradient of protons, which is used to produce ATP through a process called chemiosmosis.
The ATP produced during cellular respiration is then used by cells to perform various energy-requiring activities, such as muscle contraction, active transport of molecules, and synthesis of new molecules.
To gain a deeper understanding and visualize these processes, it is helpful to review diagrams and animations of cellular respiration. Additionally, studying the specific enzymes and molecules involved in each step can provide a more detailed explanation of how energy is extracted from food in cells.