Thursday, February 25, 2010

window pane terms #6

Window pane terms #6
Chloroplast- organelle found only in plant cells, it makes chemical energy (sugar/ glucose) using solar energy (sunlight), water and carbon dioxide.
Mitochondrion (singular) - responsible for breaking down sugar (glucose from plants) into a more usable form (ATP) for our cells. Found in animal cells and plant cells. Cells that do more work have more mitochondria in their cells (muscle cells and sperm cells have the most!).
Centrioles- organelles found only in animal cells that are only active during cell division (mitosis) where their job is to make sure that duplicated DNA strands get pulled apart evenly.
Ribosomes- found in plant and animal cells, they are responsible for building proteins and enzymes in a cell by using instructions they receive from the DNA via an RNA strand.
Nucleus- the control center for the cell, it contains the DNA instructions used to make every part of your body, your DNA NEVER,NEVER, NEVER leaves the nucleus!!
Cell wall- found only in plants, it provides structure and support to plant cells.
Cell or plasma membrane- found in plant and animal cells, it controls the movement of all substances in and out of the cell. SUPER IMPORTANT!
Cytoplasm- gel-like substance that all of the organelles are suspended in, it provides a medium for nutrient exchange as well as a cushion for the organelles.
Bioenergetic reactions- Chemical reactions in a cell that involve the creation of energy from sunlight or the break down of sugar for usable forms of energy: ex.- aerobic respiration (breathing), anaerobic respiration (fermentation), and photosynthesis.
Activation energy- the least amount of energy required to start any chemical reaction. (You have to start cellular respiration with 2 pieces of ATP in order to carry out the reaction and obtain 36 pieces of ATP)