Cellular Respiration Research Paper

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Cellular Respiration One of the main essentials of life that all organisms need in order to function in our world is, energy. We receive that energy from the food that we eat. Cellular respiration is the most efficient way for a cell to receive the energy stored in food. In cellular respiration, a catabolic pathway, which breaks down the molecules into smaller units, in order to produce adenosine triphosphate, also known as, ATP. ATP, is used by cells in the act of regular cellular operations, it is a “high energy” molecule. This occurs in both eukaryotic cells, as well as, prokaryotic cells. In the prokaryotic cells, it takes place in the cytoplasm; in the eukaryotic cells, it takes place in the mitochondria. Oxygen is vital for ATP production …show more content…

Glucose, which is a six-carbon sugar, is at that moment divided into two molecules of a three carbon sugar. The breaking down of glucose, takes place in the cell’s cytoplasm. Glucose and oxygen are produced from this breakage, and are supplied to cells by the bloodstream. Also produced by glycolysis are, 2 molecules of ATP, 2 high energy electron carrying molecules of NADH, and 2 molecules of pyruvic acid. Glycolysis happens with or without the presence of oxygen. When oxygen is involved, glycolysis is the beginning step of the process known as, aerobic cellular respiration. When oxygen is not involved, cells are only allowed to produce small quantities of ATP, this process is called anaerobic …show more content…

For example, fermentation occurs in yeast in order to gain energy by transforming sugar into alcohol. Fermentation is also used by bacteria, they convert carbohydrates into lactic acid. Ethanol fermentation is done by yeast and certain bacteria, when pyruvate is separated into ethanol and carbon dioxide. Ethanol fermentation has a net chemical equation: C6H12O6 (glucose) > 2C2H5OH (ethanol) + 2CO2 (carbon dioxide). This process of ethanol fermentation is used in the making of wine, bread, and beer. The pyruvate molecules that were created in glycolysis are then sometimes fermented into lactic acid. Lactic acid can be used to transform lactose into lactic acid, for example in the making of yoghurt. This process is also used in animal muscles when they require extra energy in their tissue in order to run faster than oxygen can be given. C6H12O6 (glucose) > 2CH3CHOHCOOHc*lactic acid) is the net equation for glucose to lactic acid. C12H22O11 (lactose) + H2O > 4CH3CHOHCOOH (lactic acid) is the equation for lactose to lactic acid.

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