Understandings:

• Cell respiration involves the oxidation and reduction of electron carriers.
• Phosphorylation of molecules makes them less stable.
• In glycolysis, glucose is converted to pyruvate in the cytoplasm.
• Glycolysis gives a small net gain of ATP without the use of oxygen.
• In aerobic cell respiration pyruvate is decarboxylated and oxidized, and converted into acetyl compound and attached to coenzyme A to form acetyl coenzyme A in the link reaction.
• In the Krebs cycle, the oxidation of acetyl groups is coupled to the reduction of hydrogen carriers, liberating carbon dioxide.
• Energy released by oxidation reactions is carried to the cristae of the mitochondria by reduced NAD and FAD.
• Transfer of electrons between carriers in the electron transport chain in the membrane of the cristae is coupled to proton pumping.
• In chemiosmosis protons diffuse through ATP synthase to generate ATP.
• Oxygen is needed to bind with the free protons to maintain the hydrogen gradient, resulting in the formation of water.
• The structure of the mitochondrion is adapted to the function it performs.