Final answer:
Cellular respiration starts with sugar (glucose) and ends with the production of energy (ATP), carbon dioxide, and water.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of cellular respiration begins with molecules of sugar, specifically glucose, and ends with the production of energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), along with carbon dioxide and water. The full chemical reaction for cellular respiration can be represented by the equation: C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy.
This reaction demonstrates how the six carbon atoms in a glucose molecule are converted to six molecules of carbon dioxide as a byproduct, with the release of energy that is trapped in the bonds of ATP molecules.