Cellular Respiration
Cellular Respiration is a process that produces energy by breaking down glucose and other food molecules in the presence of oxygen.
All living organisms need energy for their essential processes of life and they get this from food molecules by the process of cellular respiration. Cellular respiration is a set of metabolic processes that take place in all living cells by which the chemical energy of food molecules is captured in the form of ATP, and then release waste products. Living cells obtain the products of photosynthesis (sugar molecules) and undergo cellular respiration to produce ATP molecules. Food molecules that are used by the cells as fuels in cellular respiration include carbohydrate, protein, and fat, but the carbohydrate breakdown product, glucose, is commonly used. Some cells respire aerobically, using oxygen, while others undergo anaerobic respiration, without using oxygen. The process involves a set of chemical reactions to convert chemical energy from the glucose molecules into ATP molecules.
The process of breaking down glucose molecules involves two major stages - glycolysis (anaerobic respiration) and aerobic respiration.
Glycolysis
This is the first stage of cellular respiration. Glycolysis is the breakdown of glucose into pyruvate or lactate and releases energy in the form of ATP. This stage begins in the cytoplasm of the cells, and yields two carbon-based molecules called pyruvate, and two molecules of ATP. Oxygen plays no part during this stage, so it is called anaerobic respiration.
Aerobic Respiration
This process takes place in specialized structures within the cell called mitochondria, and uses the products of glycolysis, the pyruvate molecules, to release energy, along with CO2 and water as the by-products of the reaction. The energy released is stored in the form of ATP molecules. Usually, a totally of 38 ATP molecules are produced.
Glucose + Oxygen ⟹ Carbon dioxide + Water + Energy(ATP)
C6H12O6 + 6O2 ⟹ 6CO2 + 6H2O + 38 ATP.
The process of breaking down glucose molecules involves two major stages - glycolysis (anaerobic respiration) and aerobic respiration.
Glycolysis
This is the first stage of cellular respiration. Glycolysis is the breakdown of glucose into pyruvate or lactate and releases energy in the form of ATP. This stage begins in the cytoplasm of the cells, and yields two carbon-based molecules called pyruvate, and two molecules of ATP. Oxygen plays no part during this stage, so it is called anaerobic respiration.
Aerobic Respiration
This process takes place in specialized structures within the cell called mitochondria, and uses the products of glycolysis, the pyruvate molecules, to release energy, along with CO2 and water as the by-products of the reaction. The energy released is stored in the form of ATP molecules. Usually, a totally of 38 ATP molecules are produced.
Glucose + Oxygen ⟹ Carbon dioxide + Water + Energy(ATP)
C6H12O6 + 6O2 ⟹ 6CO2 + 6H2O + 38 ATP.