Chapter 8 - An Introduction to Metabolism

Pool players

________ utilize the motion of the cue stick to push the cue ball, which in turn moves the other balls; water flowing through a dam powers turbines; and leg muscles contract to push bicycle pedals.

sugars

When needed, ________ can be transformed into amino acids, which are then linked together to form proteins.

chemical compounds

Many cells in multicellular creatures release ________ that are utilized in other areas of the organism.

plant functions

A(n) ________ as an energy transformer, not an energy generator, by converting sunlight to chemical energy.

Cellular respiration

________ is a key route of catabolism in which sugar glucose and other organic fuels are broken down to carbon dioxide and water in the presence of oxygen.

amino acids

Proteins, on the other hand, are broken down into ________ that can be converted to glucose during digestion.

chemical factory

As a(n) ________, the cell is unparalleled in its complexity, efficiency, and reactivity to small changes.

small chemical factory

The live- cell is a(n) ________, with thousands of processes taking place inside a minuscule area.

Catabolic routes

________, or breakdown pathways, are the names given to these degradative processes.

Energy

________ is essential in everyday life because various types of energy may be utilized to accomplish work- that is, to move matter against opposing forces like gravity and friction.

energy transfer

As a result of the loss of useable energy as heat to the environment, each ________ or transformation causes the cosmos to become more chaotic.

Energy

________ is the ability to effect change.