⭐️Your body cells use the oxygen you breathe to get energy from the food you eat. This process is called cellular respiration. During cellular respiration the cell uses oxygen to break down sugar. ... When the cell uses oxygen to break down sugar, oxygen is used, carbon dioxide is produced, and energy is released.⭐️
In the mitochondria, glucose(food) is broken down into into pyruvate and the electrons are harvested and then sent to the electron chain during glycolysis in the cytoplasm. Pyruvate in converted to Acetyl CoA and enters the Krebs Cycle in the mitochrondria, and produces NADH and ATP. NADH goes to the electron chain and releases electrons and turns into NAD+. The electron transport system is embedded in the membrane, and this system creates a Hydrogen ion gradient. ATP synthase creates ATP through oxidative phosphorylation, and is powered by the diffusion of the hydrogen ions. THe hydrogen ions combine with the electrons and an oxygen atom to form water. Without oxygen as the final acceptor, the mitochondria cannot produce ATP energy using the ATP synthase and is forced into anaerobic respiration. With oxygen, the mitochondria can perform normal aerobic respiration.
