What are the different ways in which glucose is oxidized to provide energy in various organisms?
Answer:
- Glucose is a six carbon atom compound.
- The oxidation of glucose to pyruvic acid or pyruvate is called glycolysis .
- One molecule of glucose in glycolysis produces two molecules of pyruvic acid.
- Pyruvic acid is a three carbon atom compound.
The fate of pyruvate formed during respiration depends on whether oxygen is present in the cells or not.
- If oxygen is present in the cells then p yruvate is completely oxidized to carbon dioxide and water and a l ot of energ y is produced in the form of ATP.
- If however oxygen is not present in the cells, there is absence of oxygen, pyruvate is converted to either ‘ ethanol and carbon dioxide ’ or ‘lactic acid’ depending on whether such processes take place in the plant cell or an animal cell.
