Final answer:
Cells obtain energy through oxidation and reduction reactions, also known as redox reactions. This process occurs in cellular respiration, where energy from nutrients is converted into ATP through a series of redox reactions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cells obtain energy through oxidation and reduction reactions. An oxidation reaction strips an electron from an atom in a compound, while a reduction reaction adds this electron to another compound. These pairs of reactions are called redox reactions.
In cellular respiration, a set of metabolic reactions that occur in cells, cells convert biochemical energy from nutrients into adenosine triphosphate (ATP) through a series of redox reactions. This process releases heat and occurs in a stepwise manner to allow the cell to transfer and use energy incrementally.
The transfer of energy in the form of electrons between molecules is important because most of the chemical energy stored in molecules is in the form of high-energy electrons. ATP is a molecule that stores and transfers this energy to power cellular processes.