Final answer:
Aerobic respiration is best represented by the equation C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O, where glucose and oxygen react to form carbon dioxide, water, and energy as ATP.
Step-by-step explanation:
The chemical reaction that best represents aerobic respiration is C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O. In this process, one molecule of glucose (C6H12O6) reacts with six molecules of oxygen (6O2) to yield six molecules of carbon dioxide (6CO2) and six molecules of water (6H2O), along with the release of energy in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate). This reaction is essential to all aerobic life forms as it provides the energy needed for various cellular processes.
Glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and the electron transport chain are the three stages through which this reaction progresses, and they occur in the cytoplasm and mitochondria of the cell. While the equation seems straightforward, the actual cellular respiration involves many complex steps and intermediate compounds. Cellular respiration allows both autotrophs and heterotrophs to convert glucose into a usable form of energy, ATP.