Final answer:
Cellular respiration is an aerobic process that transforms glucose into ATP. It includes glycolysis, the Krebs Cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation. It requires oxygen, and differs from anaerobic respiration and fermentation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cellular respiration is the aerobic process by which cells transfer energy from glucose to adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This biochemical process is critical for the production of energy in living organisms and can be summarized in three major stages:
- Glycolysis: The breakdown of glucose into two molecules of pyruvate, resulting in a net gain of two ATP molecules.
- Krebs Cycle (also known as the Citric Acid Cycle): Pyruvate is further broken down and leads to the production of additional molecules that will be used for the electron transport chain.
- Oxidative phosphorylation: The electrons removed during glycolysis and the Krebs cycle are transferred through the electron transport chain, driving the formation of a large amount of ATP.
During cellular respiration, glucose and oxygen react to produce carbon dioxide and water, and in the process, energy is stored in ATP molecules. The inner and outer membranes of the mitochondria are key to the efficiency of aerobic respiration. This set of reactions is not the same as anaerobic respiration or fermentation, which do not require oxygen.