How do organisms generate ATP?

Plants - harness light energy into chemical energy of ATP (photosynthesis) Eukaryotes- extract high energy electrons from fuels (mostly sugars) to synthesise ATP. This process is called oxidative phosphorylation and occurs in three key steps: 1)electrons flow through the mitochondrial electron transport chain to reduce oxygen, resulting in formation of a water molecule 2) the electron flow results in pumping of protons across the inner mitochondrial membrane, from matrix to the intermembrane space, creating a proton motive force or gradient  3) protons flow black into the matrix through ATP synthase, resulting in synthesis of ATP (chemiosmosis) 

MP

Related Biology A Level answers

All answers ▸

What is meant by the term 'resolution' in terms of microscopy?


A wheat farmer uses fertiliser on his crop for several months. During this time the pond at the end of the field becomes covered in a thin green film and starts to smell. What process is responsible for this and how does it occur?


Describe the process of transcription in detail (6 marks)


How would you explain oxidative phosphorylation and chemiosmosis?