Question

How would you describe glycolysis in respiration?

Answer 1

It is the splitting of the sugar glucose to make energy.

Explanation:

Glycolysis is the first step in respiration (the krebs cycle occurs after glycolysis and then electron transport chain occurs after that).

It is the process in which a 6 carbon molecule of glucose is broken into two three carbon molecules called pyruvate or pyruvic acid.

During the step in which glucose becomes two pyruvate: two ATP (Adenosine tri-phosphate) is made into two ADP (Adenosine Di-phosphate) this gives energy for the glucose to be broken into the two pyruvates.

Also during this step two hydrogen acceptors called NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) come and take 2 hydrogen molecules to become NADH these molecules are taken to the final stage in respiration called the electron transport chain or the cytochrome system.

This is the entire process of Glycolysis, it produces 4 ATP after the pyruvates are made and the hydrogen that were taken away are used to make energy in the electron transport chain. Overall 2 ATP is said to be invested in the stage as it is used to allow the reaction to occur but then 4 ATP are made as a product at the end of the glycolysis process therefore a net gain of 2 ATP has been made.

I hope I made this clear enough and not too confusing.