What Is Cellular Respiration?
Cellular respiration is the process of converting chemical energy of organic molecules such as glucose into a form of energy usable by organisms. This energy is mainly produced in the mitochondrial matrix and takes form in the molecule adenosine triphosphate [also known as ATP], which is made up of an adenosine with a three phosphate tail group. The reason why ATP produces energy is due to the loss of the third phosphate group. The third phosphate, when released, releases the bond energy and supplies it to whichever cell needs the energy. This causes the ATP to form into adenosine diphosphate [ADP], a molecule that does not supply energy to any cells. However, ADP can be refilled with phosphates to once again become ATP. ATP is constantly produced in an organism through a
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These two pyruvates oxidize to release CO2 as waste, and turn into acetyl-CoA. Each acetyl-CoA then goes through the Kreb’s cycle, with multiple reactions producing a net total of six NADH, two FADH2 [another coenzyme], two CO2, and two ATP. The NADH and FADH2 coenzymes then travel to the electron transport chain, where most of the ATP production begins. The NADH and FADH2 undergo redox reactions to send electrons through one member of the transport chain to another, which creates energy and causes H+ ions to be pumped out of the matrix. This ultimately produces an electrochemical gradient that causes H+ ions to flow back into the mitochondrial matrix through an enzyme called ATP synthase. This gives it the energy to allow it to pair an ADP with a phosphate to create ATP. At the end of this process, the electrons are transferred to oxygen [O2], which splits oxygen apart into two separate oxygen atoms to come together with hydrogen ions and create water as
These two pyruvates oxidize to release CO2 as waste, and turn into acetyl-CoA. Each acetyl-CoA then goes through the Kreb’s cycle, with multiple reactions producing a net total of six NADH, two FADH2 [another coenzyme], two CO2, and two ATP. The NADH and FADH2 coenzymes then travel to the electron transport chain, where most of the ATP production begins. The NADH and FADH2 undergo redox reactions to send electrons through one member of the transport chain to another, which creates energy and causes H+ ions to be pumped out of the matrix. This ultimately produces an electrochemical gradient that causes H+ ions to flow back into the mitochondrial matrix through an enzyme called ATP synthase. This gives it the energy to allow it to pair an ADP with a phosphate to create ATP. At the end of this process, the electrons are transferred to oxygen [O2], which splits oxygen apart into two separate oxygen atoms to come together with hydrogen ions and create water as