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Pill

Theme C - Interaction &  Interdependence

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Direct Hit

Theme A - Unity & diversity

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Page Facing Up

Theme B - Form & Function

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Keycap Digit One

Theme D - Continuity & Change

<ul>
	<li>Oxygen is a superstar in cell respiration! It&#39;s the terminal electron acceptor in aerobic respiration.</li>
	<li>Without oxygen, our cells&#39; energy production would plummet.</li>
</ul>

<ul>
	<li>For mitochondria to make ATP (our cell&#39;s energy currency), there has to be a flow of electrons and pumping of protons.</li>
	<li>Reduced NAD is like the &quot;battery&quot; that kicks off this process by supplying pairs of electrons to start the journey!</li>
</ul>

💡 Real-world example: Imagine reduced NAD as the battery of an electric toy train. The train only starts moving when the battery supplies power. This train journey is similar to the electron&#39;s journey in the cell.

<ul>
	<li>The ETC is like a relay race where electron carriers pass on electrons.</li>
	<li>Each carrier loves electrons more than the previous one. So, by the end of the chain, we need a super electron lover!</li>
</ul>

💡 Real-world example: Think of ETC like a game of &quot;Hot Potato&quot; where each player (carrier) is more eager than the last to grab the potato (electron).

<ul>
	<li>Oxygen has a MASSIVE crush on electrons! It&#39;s known as the terminal electron acceptor because it takes electrons from the last carrier.</li>
	<li>When oxygen meets the electron (and some hydrogen ions), they bond and create water 💧.</li>
</ul>

💡 Real-world example: Oxygen is like that one friend at a party who always finishes the leftover food. In this case, oxygen finishes off the electron relay race, ensuring no electrons are left hanging.

<ul>
	<li>Oxygen is the MVP in aerobic respiration. Without it, the ATP-making process grinds to a halt.</li>
	<li>If oxygen runs out: a. Electrons can&#39;t move through the ETC. It&#39;s like a traffic jam! b. Reduced NAD accumulates, which is bad news. No new electrons start their journey. c. Other important processes like the link reaction and Krebs cycle just... stop. 🛑</li>
	<li>But don&#39;t worry! Cells have a backup plan. They can do anaerobic respiration in the cytoplasm. But here&#39;s the catch: they produce much less ATP this way (only 2 ATP per glucose instead of 32). It&#39;s like switching from a sports car to a bicycle 🚲.</li>
</ul>

💡 Real-world example: Imagine you&rsquo;re baking cookies, but you run out of sugar. You could use an alternative like honey, but the cookies won&#39;t taste the same. In the same way, cells can switch to anaerobic respiration without oxygen, but the energy output just isn&rsquo;t the same.

&nbsp;

✅ Remember: Oxygen keeps our cells buzzing with energy. When it&#39;s around, we get loads of ATP. When it&#39;s gone, our cells make do, but it&#39;s not nearly as efficient!

Theme C - Interaction & Interdependence

Unlocking Oxygen's Role in Efficient ATP Production

Table of content

Key takeaways 🚀

How ATP production works in the cell 🔋

Electron transport chain (ETC) overview 🚂