Question

6. The overall reaction for cellular respiration is: C6H12O6 + 602 --> 6C02 + 6H20Describe why CO2 forms and identify the stages/steps of aerobic respiration that produce each CO2.

Answer 1

CO2 forms as glucose oxidates (loose protons). In the process releases large amounts of energy which is used to form ATP.

The glucose molecule undergoes glycolysis and breaks into two molecules of pyruvate.

The Pyruvate enters the mitochondria, forms acetyl CoA and by loosing one carbon in the form of CO2. Then starts the Krebs cycle. At the end of the cycle 2 molecules of CO2 are formed for each Pyruvate molecule.

2CO2 (one from each pyruvate) to form acetyl CoA.

4CO2 (two from each pyruvate) in the krebs cycle.