Final answer:
Cellular respiration involves three main stages: glycolysis, the Krebs Cycle, and the electron transport chain, which work together to convert glucose into ATP, the cell's energy currency.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Three Main Processes of Cellular Respiration
Cellular respiration is a complex process that cells use to produce ATP, the energy currency of the cell. The three main stages involved in cellular respiration are:
- Glycolysis: This is the first stage of cellular respiration and occurs in the cytoplasm of the cell. During glycolysis, glucose is split into two three-carbon molecules called pyruvate. This results in a net gain of two ATP molecules and the production of NADH.
- Krebs Cycle (also known as the Citric Acid Cycle): This second stage of cellular respiration takes place in the mitochondria, where pyruvate is fully oxidized, resulting in the release of carbon dioxide and the production of more NADH and FADH2, as well as a small amount of ATP.
- Electron Transport Chain (Oxidative Phosphorylation): This final stage also occurs in the mitochondria and involves the transfer of electrons from NADH and FADH2 through a series of proteins. As electrons move down the chain, energy is released, which is used to convert ADP into ATP. Oxygen is the final electron acceptor and combines with electrons and protons to form water.
These stages of cellular respiration work together to convert glucose into ATP, which is used by the cell as energy. It begins with the conversion of glucose to Acetyl CoA, followed by the citric acid cycle, and finally the electron transport chain.+