What is the energy source of cellular respiration

Cellular respiration extracts chemical energy from fuel molecules, especially glucose in many introductory examples. Cells transfer some of that energy into ATP through a series of reactions.

How it works

In aerobic respiration, oxygen serves as the final electron acceptor in the electron transport chain. The overall process includes glycolysis, pyruvate oxidation, the citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation in eukaryotic cells.

Example or application

A simplified overall equation is glucose plus oxygen yielding carbon dioxide, water, and transferable energy. Cells can also use other fuels, and some organisms make ATP through pathways that do not use oxygen.

Scope and limits

The equation summarizes a complex set of reactions. Energy is not created; it is transformed, and the exact ATP yield depends on cell type and conditions.

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