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Question: What is respiration? Give a balanced equation for aerobic respiration....

What is respiration? Give a balanced equation for aerobic respiration.

Explanation

Solution

Respiration is an important biochemical process of living organisms. It is shown by every living organism and this process ensures the survival of the living organisms.

Complete answer: Respiration- It is a biological process of exchange of gases i.e., exchange of atmospheric oxygen with carbon dioxide produced by the living cells inside the body. It is commonly known as breathing.
Respiration is of two types aerobic respiration and anaerobic respiration. Aerobic respiration seems to occur in higher organisms including humans and animals in the presence of oxygen whereas anaerobic respiration occurs in lower organisms such as some bacteria in the absence of oxygen. In both, types of respiration ultimate approach are the production of energy. In humans, it is aerobic respiration which is defined as a catabolic physicochemical process that involves the exchange of gases via blood medium.
In aerobic respiration there are 4 phases:
1. Glycolysis- It occurs inside the cytoplasm and is the energy-producing phase. It is the anaerobic phase. This one molecule of glucose breaks down into two molecules of pyruvic acid. NADH2_2 is also produced in glycolysis.
2. Oxidative decarboxylation- It is an aerobic phase which includes the entry of pyruvic acid and NADH inside the mitochondria to produce two molecules of Acetyl-CoA(2C)
3. Krebs cycle- In the inner chamber of mitochondria and it usually takes 8 steps to complete. It leads to the production of 2 GTP molecules, 6 NADH2_2, and 2 FADH2_2.
4. Electron transport chain(ETC)- It includes seven sets of electron carriers along with inner mitochondria present at a specific site. In this step, energy is released.
The balanced equation of aerobic respiration is:
C6_6 H12H_{12}O6_6 + 6O2_2→ 6CO2_2 + 6H2_2O + Energy

Note: The energy which is released during respiration may not be required immediately. It is stored in the respective cells. The ATP produced is known as the energy currency of cells which is required in various processes of the body.