How many O2 molecules are required for two glucose molecules to undergo cellular respiration?
To determine the number of O2 molecules required for two glucose molecules to undergo cellular respiration, we need to understand the overall chemical equation for cellular respiration.
The balanced equation for cellular respiration is:
C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O + Energy (ATP)
From the equation, we can see that for each glucose molecule (C6H12O6) consumed, 6 molecules of oxygen (O2) are required. Therefore, to find the amount of O2 required for two glucose molecules, we simply multiply the requirement by 2.
6 O2 x 2 = 12 O2
Hence, 12 molecules of O2 are required for two glucose molecules to undergo cellular respiration.
Glucose molecules undergo cellular respiration through a process called glycolysis, which occurs in the cytoplasm of cells, and aerobic respiration, which occurs in the mitochondria.
During glycolysis, one glucose molecule is broken down into two pyruvate molecules, producing two molecules of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and two molecules of NADH. This process does not directly require oxygen.
In aerobic respiration, the two pyruvate molecules produced in glycolysis move into the mitochondria, where they undergo the citric acid cycle (also known as the Krebs cycle) and oxidative phosphorylation (electron transport chain). This process requires oxygen as the final electron acceptor.
Each pyruvate molecule undergoes the citric acid cycle, which produces three molecules of NADH, one molecule of FADH2, and one molecule of ATP. Therefore, from two glucose molecules, four pyruvate molecules are produced, leading to a total of eight molecules of NADH, two molecules of FADH2, and two molecules of ATP.
In oxidative phosphorylation, each NADH molecule generated in the citric acid cycle produces up to three molecules of ATP, while each FADH2 molecule produces up to two molecules of ATP. Thus, the total ATP produced from the NADH and FADH2 produced by two glucose molecules is:
(8 NADH x 3 ATP) + (2 FADH2 x 2 ATP) = 24 ATP + 4 ATP = 28 ATP
In the electron transport chain, each molecule of oxygen (O2) combines with four electrons and four hydrogen ions to form two water molecules (H2O). Therefore, to produce 28 ATP from the NADH and FADH2 generated by two glucose molecules, you would need two molecules of O2.
So, in summary, two O2 molecules are required for two glucose molecules to fully undergo cellular respiration and produce 28 ATP.
To determine the number of O2 molecules required for two glucose molecules to undergo cellular respiration, we need to look at the chemical equation for cellular respiration.
The balanced equation for cellular respiration is:
C6H12O6 + 6O2 -> 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy (ATP)
From this equation, we can see that one molecule of glucose (C6H12O6) reacts with 6 molecules of O2 to produce 6 molecules of CO2 and 6 molecules of H2O.
Therefore, if we have two glucose molecules, we can simply multiply the stoichiometric coefficients by 2:
2(C6H12O6) + 12O2 -> 12CO2 + 12H2O + energy (ATP)
So, for two glucose molecules to undergo cellular respiration, you would need 12 molecules of O2.