Question

1. what molecule is broken down in glycolysis?
2. what process happens after glycolysis if oxygen is present in cell respiration?
3. what are the starting reactants for cellular respiration? what is broken down?
4. what is the chemical formula for cellular respiration?

Explanation:

Question 15

Glycolysis is the first step of cellular respiration. The molecule broken down in glycolysis is glucose (a 6 - carbon sugar). During glycolysis, one molecule of glucose is split into two molecules of pyruvate (pyruvic acid), along with the production of ATP and NADH.

If oxygen is present after glycolysis in the process of cellular respiration, the next process is the Krebs cycle (also known as the citric acid cycle) and then the electron transport chain. More specifically, after glycolysis produces pyruvate, the pyruvate is transported into the mitochondria and is converted into acetyl - CoA, which then enters the Krebs cycle.

• Starting reactants for cellular respiration: The starting reactants are glucose (\(C_6H_{12}O_6\)) and oxygen (\(O_2\)).
• What is broken down: Glucose is the molecule that is broken down during cellular respiration. Through a series of reactions (glycolysis, Krebs cycle, electron transport chain), the chemical energy stored in glucose is released and used to produce ATP.

Answer:

Glucose

Question 16