Question

Which of the following is the end product of aerobic respiration?
A. Carbon dioxide and water
B. Oxygen and water
C. Only water
D. None of the above

Answer 1

Hint: The respiration is a process carried out by all living organisms where the food products are broken down in presence of oxygen and form energy that is being used by our body to survive.

Complete Answer:
- The respiration is the process that is carried out by all living organisms to release energy required for the processes of life. This process occurs during the presence and absence of oxygen. Humans undergo this process of respiration by exhaling carbon dioxide and inhaling oxygen.
- Now, aerobic respiration is the biological process in which the glucose is converted in the presence of oxygen. Energy is releasing by splitting the glucose molecules with the help of oxygen. At the end, the energy, carbon dioxide, and water get releases as the by-products.

\[{{\rm{C}}_{\rm{6}}}{{\rm{H}}_{{\rm{12}}}}{{\rm{O}}_{\rm{6}}}{\rm{ + 6}}{{\rm{O}}_{\rm{2}}} \to {\rm{6C}}{{\rm{O}}_{\rm{2}}}{\rm{ + }}{{\rm{H}}_{\rm{2}}}{\rm{O + ATP}}\]

- During the breakdown of glucose molecules there is a total 2900 KJ of energy released and in turn, ATP is produced from this energy that is used for many different purposes. The process of aerobic respiration includes Glycolysis, formation of Acetyl CoA, citric acid cycle, and electron transport chain.
- In the Glycolysis process, the glucose molecules get split and form two ATP and NADH molecules, in the next step of aerobic respiration, Acetyl CoA is produced in which the pyruvate molecules get oxidized inside the mitochondria and two carbon acetyl group is formed. This two carbon acetyl group binds to the coenzyme A to produce acetyl CoA.
- The citric acid cycle is the third step of aerobic respiration in which the oxaloacetate bind with acetyl CoA and form citric acid and two molecules of carbon dioxide, one molecule of ATP, and reduced form of FADH and NADH is also formed through series of reaction in citric acid cycle.
- The electron transport chain is the last stage of the aerobic respiration in which a large amount of ATP is produced through electron transportation from NADH and FADH. One glucose molecule produces 34 ATP molecules.

Thus, the correct option is ‘A’. Carbon dioxide and water.

Note: The aerobic respiration for plants by products are water, oxygen, and energy. The above mentioned equation is for animals. The answer depends on the question that has been asked: if the final product of aerobic respiration of plants is asked then the answer will be oxygen and water.