#AP Biology: Cellular Energetics - Your Night-Before Review 🚀

Hey! Let's make sure you're feeling super confident about cellular energy. This guide is designed to be quick, clear, and exactly what you need tonight. Let's dive in!

#Unit 3: Energy and Metabolism

# 3.0 Introduction: Why Cells Need Energy

• Cellular energetics is all about how cells make, move, and use energy. Think of it as the cell's power grid! 💡
• Key processes: Cellular respiration (making ATP by breaking down glucose) and photosynthesis (making glucose using sunlight).
• ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is the cell's main energy currency. Everything we'll talk about is ultimately about making or using ATP.

# 3.1-3.3: Enzymes: The Cell's Catalysts

• Enzymes are protein catalysts that speed up reactions. They're essential for life! 🏃

• Active site: The specific spot on an enzyme where the substrate (reactant) binds. Think of it like a lock and key. 🔑

• Enzyme-substrate complex: When the substrate binds to the enzyme's active site.

• Denaturation: When an enzyme loses its shape and function due to factors like temperature or pH.

Caption: How enzymes work: substrate binding to the active site and product release.

• Environmental Factors: Temperature and pH affect enzyme activity. Each enzyme has an optimal range. 🌡️
• Substrate and Product Concentration: Too little substrate = slow reaction; too much product = inhibition.
• Inhibitors:
  • Competitive: Bind to the active site, blocking the substrate.
  • Noncompetitive: Bind to an allosteric site, changing the enzyme's shape.

# 3.4: Energy and Life

• Living systems need a constant energy input to maintain order. 🔄
• Entropy: The measure of disorder, which always increases in a closed system.
• Energy-releasing processes (like metabolism...