Final answer:
During cellular respiration, matter is neither created nor destroyed; it is transformed from one form to another, such as glucose and oxygen into carbon dioxide and water, while the total amount of matter remains unchanged. Energy is transferred to ATP.
Step-by-step explanation:
What Happens to Matter During Cellular Respiration?
During cellular respiration, matter undergoes a transformation. Specifically:
- Matter is not created; the Law of Conservation of Mass states that matter cannot be created.
- Matter is not destroyed; it simply changes form.
- Matter is transformed from one form to another. In the case of cellular respiration, glucose and oxygen are converted into carbon dioxide, water, and energy in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate).
- Matter remains unchanged in terms of mass; the atoms present in the glucose and oxygen are the same ones that make up the carbon dioxide and water.
Thus, the correct descriptions of what happens to matter during cellular respiration are that matter is transformed from one form to another, but the total amount of matter remains unchanged.