Step-by-step explanation:
Kelp, like all living organisms, uses a process called cellular respiration to convert food into energy.
Cellular respiration is a metabolic pathway that breaks down glucose (a type of sugar) and produces ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is used by cells as a source of energy.
The stages of cellular respiration include:
- The citric acid or Krebs cycle
- And oxidative phosphorylation
During glycolysis, glucose is broken down into two molecules of pyruvate. Pyruvate oxidation then converts pyruvate into acetyl-CoA, which enters the citric acid cycle. In the citric acid cycle, acetyl-CoA is broken down and energy is released in the form of ATP. Finally, during oxidative phosphorylation, electrons are transferred through a series of proteins in the inner membrane of the mitochondria (organelles found in eukaryotic cells), producing even more ATP.
The equation for cellular respiration is:
- C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O + ATP
This means that glucose (C6H12O6) and oxygen (O2) are used as inputs, while carbon dioxide (CO2), water (H2O), and ATP are produced as outputs.
Cellular respiration occurs in the cells of all living organisms. In eukaryotic cells, such as those found in plants and animals, it takes place mainly in the mitochondria.