Answer:
C6H12O6 + 6O2 + 38ADP + 38Pi => 6CO2 + 6H2O + 38ATP is the chemical equation for cellular respiration
Explanation:
Cellular respiration is the process by which cells breakdown glucose molecules to produce energy in the form of ATP molecules and release waste products such as carbon dioxide and water molecules. Cellular respiration involves a series of reaction pathways such as glycolysis, pyruvate oxidation, citric acid cycle and the oxidative phosphorylation pathway.
The first step of glycolysis breaks down a glucose molecule to release two pyruvate molecules.
In pyruvate oxidation, two molecules of pyruvate are oxidized to acetyl-CoA molecules.
In the citric acid cycle, the acetyl-CoA molecules are used to produce the electron carriers NADH and FADH2.
In the oxidative phosphorylation pathway, NADH and FADH2 donate their electrons to oxygen and ATP molecules are produced using the energy of electron transfer and proton-pumping.
The overall equation for cellular respiration is given as:
C6H12O6 + 6O2 + 38ADP + 38Pi => 6CO2 + 6H2O + 38ATP
