Cell Bio - Fermentation

Question 1

What is fermentation?

Answer 1

Break down of glucose in the ABSENCE of oxygen to produce substances that can be used to make chemical energy, through a series of enzyme-controlled reactions.

Question 2

How much ATP does fermentation produce?

Answer 2

2 molecules (produced in the first stage)

Question 3

• Describe the Fermentation pathway in ANIMAL cells
• Provide an equation

Answer 3

• Glucose is broken down into 2 pyruvate molecules → releases enough energy to produce 2 molecules of ATP
• Pyruvate is converted to lactate/lactic acid
• glucose ⇌ lactate/lactic acid + energy

total ATP produced = 2 molecules

Question 4

• Describe the Fermentation pathway in Plant cells
• Provide an equation

Answer 4

• Glucose is broken down into 2 pyruvate molecules
• Pyruvate is converted to carbon dioxide and ethanol
• glucose → carbon dioxide + ethanol + energy
  (irreversible as CO₂ diffuses away)