Introduction to cellular respiration | Cellular respiration | Biology | Khan Academy

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Cellular respiration is a complex process that breaks down glucose to produce ATP through three stages: glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and the electron transport chain, involving NAD and FAD molecules. It generates energy in the form of ATP by repackaging glucose and producing byproducts like carbon dioxide and water.

Insights

  • Cellular respiration converts glucose into energy in the form of ATP through stages like glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and the electron transport chain, with NAD and FAD molecules playing a critical role in the process.
  • Despite textbooks suggesting 38 ATPs are produced, the actual yield from cellular respiration may be around 29-30 ATPs, with the majority being generated in the electron transport chain through the utilization of NADH molecules.

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Recent questions

  • What is cellular respiration?

    Cellular respiration is the process of deriving energy from glucose.

  • How many ATPs are produced in cellular respiration?

    Cellular respiration can produce around 29-30 ATPs.

  • What are the byproducts of fermentation?

    Fermentation can produce lactic acid in humans and alcohol in other organisms.

  • What is the role of NAD and FAD in cellular respiration?

    NAD and FAD molecules play a crucial role in driving ATP production in cellular respiration.

  • What are the stages of cellular respiration?

    Cellular respiration involves three stages: glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and the electron transport chain.

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Summary

00:00

"Cellular Respiration: Glucose to ATP Conversion"

  • Cellular respiration is crucial for deriving energy from glucose, a process that involves six carbons, twelve hydrogens, and six oxygens in glucose.
  • One mole of glucose and six moles of oxygen are needed for cellular respiration, producing six moles of carbon dioxide, six moles of water, and energy that can be used for various bodily functions.
  • The energy produced in cellular respiration is used to generate ATP, with heat being a byproduct, and textbooks suggest it can produce 38 ATPs, although in reality, it may be closer to 29-30 ATPs.
  • Glycolysis is the first stage of cellular respiration, breaking down glucose into pyruvate and generating two net ATPs, which can occur without oxygen.
  • The Krebs cycle follows glycolysis, requiring oxygen and producing two ATPs, leading to the electron transport chain that generates 34 ATPs and also requires oxygen.
  • In the absence of oxygen, byproducts of glycolysis can undergo fermentation, producing lactic acid in humans and alcohol in other organisms like yeast.
  • NAD and FAD molecules play a crucial role in cellular respiration, with NADH and FADH being produced in glycolysis and the Krebs cycle, contributing to the electron transport chain's ATP production.
  • Cellular respiration essentially repackages glucose energy into 38 ATPs, with heat being a significant byproduct, and involves three stages: glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and the electron transport chain.
  • The process of cellular respiration is intricate, involving the breakdown of glucose, the generation of ATPs, and the production of NADH and FADH molecules that drive the energy production in the electron transport chain.
  • Understanding cellular respiration's stages and the role of molecules like NAD and FAD is essential for grasping how glucose is converted into usable energy in the form of ATP.

14:01

Energy Production in Krebs Cycle and ETC

  • Byproducts split in the Krebs cycle, yielding two ATPs.
  • NADHs generated in the process are utilized in the electron transport chain to produce the majority of energy in the form of 34 ATPs.
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