Final answer:
The statement given is false. Pyruvate can still be produced in the absence of oxygen and enters anaerobic pathways like fermentation, forming lactic acid or ethanol and allowing continued ATP production.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement is false. In the absence of oxygen, pyruvate can still be produced through glycolysis. However, pyruvate undergoes a different metabolic pathway called anaerobic respiration or fermentation. In this pathway, pyruvate is not oxidized in the same way it is in aerobic respiration but is converted into substances like lactic acid (in lactic acid fermentation) or ethanol (in alcohol fermentation). This process regenerates the NAD+ needed for glycolysis to continue, allowing cells to keep producing ATP, albeit less efficiently than aerobic respiration. The conversion of pyruvate to lactate also happens in our muscles during intense exercise when there isn't enough oxygen available.