Table of Contents
Aerobic Respiration: Definition, Steps and Process
Aerobic Respiration – Definition: Aerobic respiration is the process that produces energy in the cells of aerobic organisms. This process uses oxygen to convert glucose and other nutrients into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy currency of the cell. The steps of aerobic respiration are:
1. Glucose or another sugar molecule is converted into glucose-6-phosphate by the enzyme hexokinase.
2. The glucose-6-phosphate molecule is converted into fructose-6-phosphate by the enzyme phosphofructokinase.
3. The fructose-6-phosphate molecule is converted into glucose by the enzyme aldolase.
4. The glucose molecule is converted into pyruvate by the enzyme pyruvate kinase.
5. The pyruvate molecule is converted into acetyl CoA by the enzyme pyruvate dehydrogenase.
6. The acetyl CoA molecule is converted into carbon dioxide and water by the enzyme acetyl CoA dehydrogenase.
Summary of Aerobic Respiration
In aerobic respiration, glucose is broken down by the enzyme hexokinase to two molecules of glucose-6-phosphate. These molecules are then transported across the cell membrane and into the mitochondria, where they are further broken down by the enzyme glycolysis to two molecules of pyruvate. The pyruvate molecules are then transported across the mitochondrial membrane and into the cytoplasm, where they are further broken down by the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase to lactic acid.
The lactic acid is then transported across the cell membrane and into the bloodstream, where it is transported to the liver. The liver converts the lactic acid back to glucose, which is then transported back to the muscles. The glucose is then used by the muscles to produce energy.
Process of Aerobic Respiration
Aerobic respiration is the process that cells use to convert glucose into energy. The process of aerobic respiration is a four step process that breaks down glucose in the presence of oxygen to produce carbon dioxide, water, and energy. The four steps of the process are glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, electron transport chain, and oxidative phosphorylation.
- The first step of aerobic respiration is glycolysis. Glycolysis is the process of breaking down glucose into two molecules of pyruvate. The pyruvate is then transported to the citric acid cycle.
- The citric acid cycle is the second step of aerobic respiration. The citric acid cycle is also known as the Krebs cycle. The citric acid cycle is a series of chemical reactions that convert the pyruvate into carbon dioxide, water, and energy.
- The third step of aerobic respiration is the electron transport chain. The electron transport chain is a series of proteins that transfer electrons from one molecule to another. The electron transport chain is responsible for converting the energy from the citric acid cycle into ATP.
- The fourth step of aerobic respiration is oxidative phosphorylation. Oxidative phosphorylation is the process of using the energy from the electron transport chain to produce ATP.
