I/GCSE Biology - The Processes of life

In this post, we'll talk about the processes of life in I/GCSE Biology. Let's get started! 😆

How do chemicals reactions take place in living things?

• All living cells are made from basic units – these are called CELLS.
• The processes of life carried out by all living cells depend on chemical reactions within cells
• these reactions need energy released by RESPIRATION (the release energy from food). RESPIRATION is one of seven major life processes:

PHOTOSYNTHESIS ➡️ makes food molecules and energy available to living organisms through food chains.

• Photosynthesis can be summarised by saying that carbon dioxide and water are combined to produce sugar and oxygen in the presence of light and chlorophyll.
• Photosynthesis uses sunlight to build large molecules in plant cells and some microorganisms (e.g. phytoplankton)

• Enzymes are biological catalyst
• they are proteins that speed up chemical reactions.

• Cells make enzymes according to the instructions carried in genes.
• Do you remember what transcription and translation are in I/GCSE Biology?

• Enzymes are specific so only molecules with the correct shape can fit into the enzyme – this is called the lock and key model.

• Once the enzyme and molecule (substrate) are linked the reaction takes place, the products are released and the process is able to start again.

And we're done with this topic! Well Done!

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Drafted by Alyssa (Biology)

References:

1. "seven major life processes". Photo from the internet.
2. "Photosynthesis Stock Illustration", shttps://thumbs.dreamstime.com/b/diagram-showing-process-photosynthesis-plant-diagram-showing-process-photosynthesis-plant-illustration-211316238.jpg
3. "How Enzymes Speed Up the Chemical Reactions", https://dr282zn36sxxg.cloudfront.net/datastreams/f-d%3Afe7c385d23106cb36c5a7b5be7fa9f0bb72ed3e087a054f1762267f9%2BIMAGE_THUMB_POSTCARD_TINY%2BIMAGE_THUMB_POSTCARD_TINY.1
4. "The Genetic Code", https://cnx.org/resources/abdd78d09479f6d641ea2add24d0634f8bd27358/Figure_15_01_02.jpg
5. "Enzymes (A-Level)", https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c5aed8434c4e20e953d6011/1587232610635-FOZ5ZK5L4BZ2YFXFLB04/Lock+and+Key+Model.jpg?format=1000w
6. "Action of sucrase on sucrose", https://static.sciencelearn.org.nz/images/images/000/002/260/full/COD_LKC_ART_04_DigestiveEnzymes_cropped.jpg?1522307264