Cellular respiration is a process where glucose and oxygen are metabolized to produce carbon dioxide and ATP. This process occurs in every living cell, making it integral to life!
During cellular respiration, glucose is broken down into simpler molecules, then oxidized to carbon dioxide and water. This process occurs in the cell’s mitochondria.
The electrons that are transferred during the reaction are transferred to an electron transport chain, which leads to the production of ATP. The flow of ions down the electron transport chain leads to the production of a chemical energy source that is used to produce ATP.
Cellular respiration requires oxygen as an essential part of the process. Without it, no glucose conversion can occur, and the cells will die. Many living organisms have ways of obtaining or capturing oxygen to ensure this part of cellular respiration happens. Some examples include blood cells using hemoglobin, algae using oyxgen receptors, and fungi using membranes around them.
Oxidation
The process of oxidizing compounds is one of the most fundamental processes in nature. Almost every process that occurs in living things requires some sort of oxidation reaction.
Almost all organisms depend on oxygen for life, and all organisms except for some rare exceptions require oxygen to live. This is because almost every metabolic process that occurs in an organism requires oxidation reactions.
Cellular respiration is no exception. The oxygen consumed during cellular respiration is involved directly in the oxidation process.
What Is Cellular Respiration?
Cellular respiration is the process that takes place inside of cells as they produce energy. There are three main stages within cellular respiration, and each stage requires a different set of reactions to take place. All three stages involve the consumption of oxygen and the production of carbon dioxide as byproducts. Overview Of The Three Stages Of Cellular Respiration.
Reduction
During the process of cellular respiration, the glucose that is broken down is actually reduced. That is, it gains electrons. These electrons come from molecules of NAD+ that are found in the cell’s structure.
This process is called reduction. In general, when a molecule gains electrons it is said to be reduced, and when it loses electrons it is said to be oxidized.
The glucose is reduced as part of its breakdown into carbon dioxide and water. The NAD+ molecules are also reduced as they give up some of their electrons.
Oxidation-reduction reactions involve the transfer of electric charge between two substances. One of them gains an electric charge, or oxidation, while the other one loses an electric charge, or reduction.
Carbon dioxide production
The final product of cellular respiration is carbon dioxide. This molecule is produced when glucose, a kind of sugar, is degraded into smaller molecules and then into ATP.
Carbondioxide is then released when ATP is degraded into ADP and Pi. When ADP and Pi combine with glucose, more carbon dioxide is produced.
Cellular respiration also produces a small amount of nitrogen compounds as by-products. These are expelled from the cell as gas through the process of diffusion. It is important that this does not occur in high concentrations within the cell or the tissue; it would be a source of toxicity.
The function of the cell membrane in preventing excessive diffusion of these compounds out of the cell is an important part of homeostasis in cells.
Energy production
Cellular respiration is the process by which cells break down glucose and oxygen to produce energy. This chemical reaction is what produces the energy that the cell needs to function.
This process occurs in three major stages: glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation. During glycolysis, glucose is broken down into pyruvate; this happens in the cytoplatic membrane. In the citric acid cycle, pyruvate is broken down into acetyl CoA, which is then oxidized (used up) in a series of chemical reactions that produce ATP.
During oxidative phosphorylation, NADH and FADH2 are oxidized, producing more ATP. ADP is then recycled and used in more ATP. This process occurs in the mitochondria of the cell. The oxygen consumed during these processes is involved directly in energy production.
Composition of oxygen
Oxygen is a chemical element, which means it is a type of substance composed of atoms. There are only ninety-two different chemical elements that exist, and oxygen is one of the most common.
Oxygen exists in two forms: oxygen-16 and oxygen-18. These forms differ in the number of protons and neutrons they have in their nuclei.
All life on Earth relies on oxygen-16, which has six protons and eight neutrons in its nucleus. This form of oxygen is a gas at normal temperatures and pressures. It is colorless and odorless as well.
How does this form of oxygen help with cellular respiration? During the electron transport chain, this form of oxygen is involved directly in the production of ATP.
How much oxygen we consume?
Consuming oxygen is a big part of our everyday life, but how much oxygen we consume is more important than why we consume it.
We consume oxygen to live! Living things need oxygen to survive, and we are no exception. All living things need oxygen to produce energy in the form of ATP.
How much we eat depends on our size and weight, which in turn depends on our sex and age. Adult males weigh more than adult females, and adults weigh more than children. Larger people also need more oxygen to survive.
How we use oxygen also plays a role in how much is consumed. People who exercise may feel like they are burning a lot of energy, but if they were still alive after exercising, then enough oxygen was being consumed to help with that exercise.
The biggest factor that affects how much oxygen we consume is our level of activity. The more active we are, the more oxygen we will need to function properly.
What happens to the carbon atoms?
Once the oxygen has been used to oxidize the carbon, hydrogen, and phosphorus molecules in the food you’ve eaten, what happens to the carbon atoms?
They’re incorporated into three large molecules that perform critical cellular functions: glucose, fatty acids, and amino acids. Glucose is the most well-known of these compounds.
Glucose is a very common carbohydrate found in many foods. It’s the primary source of energy for human cells. Glucose is formed during both aerobic and anaerobic respiration. In fact, it’s the only molecule that can be produced during aerobic respiration.
During anaerobic respiration, glucose can be broken down into two molecules of pyruvate through a process called glycolysis. During aerobic respiration, glucose is broken down into two molecules of acetyl CoA via the Krebs cycle. Both of these processes produce energy for your cells.
Why is this process important?
The process of cellular respiration is integral to all living organisms. It is how organisms build and break down molecules, creating energy in the process.
This energy fuels the functions of every part of a living thing, from the tiny cells that form your skin to the massive muscles that allow you to walk, run, and jump.
Cellular respiration also produces waste molecules called metabolites. These include 2 glucose molecules, 1 carbon dioxide molecule, and 8 water molecules.
The most important metabolic product is ATP, which stands for adenosine triphosphate. ATP is a kind of chemical fuel for life processes. When you do physical activity like running or weightlifting, your body uses ATP for energy to do the work required. It then gets replaced through more cellular respiration.
Cellular respiration takes place in 2 stages: glycolysis and the citric acid cycle (also called the Krebs cycle). These take place in the cell’s cytoplasm.
