Elizabeth's BioSec Notes

(Organized by class dates) Brain dumps, useful insights, points of confusion, it's all here.

Jan 25

Readings for the class: Chapter 6: Cellular Respiration Chapter 7: Photosynthesis

Both chapters address how cells make ATP and other byproducts.

not a lot of discussion about how the two processes fit together (I mean, photosynthesis is the more important because it creates the glucose for cellular respiration to use?)
much of the in-depth chemistry was confusing
In Ch 7, I didn't fully understand the last section about photorespiration and how plants avoid it
- what is the problem, really?
- I understand that the C4 cycle resolves it

Possible application-y thoughts

both photosynthesis and cellular respiration involve a lot of cyclical processes (like loops, I suppose) that transform one product into another
the cellular structure model seems like it could be applied to computers (and is similar to what exists), but maybe the metaphor could be extended to be larger?
what would ATP map to in the computer world? Information output?
It seems that the processes are finely tuned so that most of the by-products (except energy lost in heat) get used - is there a moral in that story?