Crossword

5. a vital organelle in plant and algae cells, famous for conducting photosynthesis
7. a membrane-bound sac within chloroplasts (in plants/algae) and cyanobacteria
8. a crucial three-carbon molecule and the end product of glycolysis
10. vital organelles in eukaryotic cells, known as the cell's "powerhouses"

1. the vital biochemical process where cells break down glucose (food) and oxygen to create usable energy (ATP), carbon dioxide, and water
2. the vital process where plants, algae, and some bacteria use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create their own food (sugars/glucose) and release oxygen, powered by chlorophyll, a green pigment, and occurring in two main stages (light-dependent and light-independent/Calvin cycle) within chloroplasts, forming the base of most food webs and enriching Earth's oxygen-rich atmosphere.
3. the central stage of cellular respiration, occurring in the mitochondria, where the energy from food (acetyl-CoA) is fully oxidized to generate ATP (energy), NADH, FADH₂, and release CO₂, preparing these high-energy electron carriers for the final ATP production stage (Electron Transport Chain)
4. a vital biological barrier, most famously the inner mitochondrial membrane
6. the supportive framework or connective tissue of an organ
9. the second stage of photosynthesis, where a plant uses the energy from light-dependent reactions to convert carbon dioxide into sugar for food.