Final answer:
Glycolysis under aerobic conditions is a metabolic process that converts glucose to pyruvate, producing ATP and NADH. In the presence of oxygen, it leads to further oxidation in the Citric Acid Cycle and higher ATP yield compared to anaerobic glycolysis.
Step-by-step explanation:
Glycolysis under aerobic conditions involves the metabolic pathway that converts glucose to pyruvate with the net gain of energy in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and NADH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide). In the presence of oxygen, this pathway is the first step in the complete oxidation of glucose, leading to the Citric Acid Cycle and further energy production.
During aerobic glycolysis, each glucose molecule is broken down into two pyruvate molecules. These pyruvates are then transported into the mitochondria, where they are fully oxidized during the Citric Acid Cycle and electron transport chain, which significantly increases the yield of ATP, compared to anaerobic glycolysis where pyruvates are reduced to lactate in the absence of oxygen.
As such, aerobic glycolysis is more efficient than anaerobic glycolysis, as it continues with the Citric Acid Cycle and electron transport chain, both of which require oxygen and produce a larger amount of ATP.