CHEMIOSMOSIS Meaning and
Definition
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Chemiosmosis is a biological process that occurs in the mitochondria and chloroplasts of cells. It is a mechanism by which the movement of ions across a semipermeable membrane generates ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy currency of cells. This process involves the production of a proton gradient across the membrane, utilizing the energy derived from electron transport chains to pump protons across the membrane from a region of low concentration to high concentration.
In mitochondria, chemiosmosis occurs during cellular respiration. As electrons are transported through the electron transport chain in the inner mitochondrial membrane, protons are pumped from the matrix into the intermembrane space, creating a proton gradient. The protons then flow back into the matrix through ATP synthase, an enzyme complex that harnesses the energy released by this movement to synthesize ATP.
Similarly, in chloroplasts, chemiosmosis takes place during photosynthesis. The movement of electrons through the electron transport chain in the thylakoid membrane drives the transfer of protons across the membrane, creating a proton gradient. The protons then pass back through ATP synthase in the chloroplast stroma, resulting in the production of ATP.
Overall, chemiosmosis is a crucial process that couples electron transport with ATP synthesis, allowing cells to convert the energy from chemical reactions into a form usable for cellular activities.
Common Misspellings for CHEMIOSMOSIS
- xhemiosmosis
- vhemiosmosis
- fhemiosmosis
- dhemiosmosis
- cgemiosmosis
- cbemiosmosis
- cnemiosmosis
- cjemiosmosis
- cuemiosmosis
- cyemiosmosis
- chwmiosmosis
- chsmiosmosis
- chdmiosmosis
- chrmiosmosis
- ch4miosmosis
- ch3miosmosis
- cheniosmosis
- chekiosmosis
- chejiosmosis
- chemuosmosis
Etymology of CHEMIOSMOSIS
The word "chemiosmosis" is derived from two root words: "chemio" and "osmosis".
The term "chemio" is derived from the Greek word "khemía" (χημεία), which means "chemistry" or "the art of metalworking". The Greek term "khemía" derived from the Egyptian word "keme" or "kem" meaning "earth" or "black land".
The word "osmosis" is derived from the Greek word "ὠσμός" (ōsmós), which means "thrust" or "impulsion". "Osmosis" was first used in the biological context by the botanist J. E. Purkinje in 1854 to describe the flow of water across a semipermeable membrane.
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