Aerobic respiration is a biological process in which cells convert glucose and oxygen into energy. The overall chemical equation representing aerobic respiration is:
[tex]\[ \text{C}_6 \text{H}_{12} \text{O}_6 + 6\text{O}_2 \rightarrow 6\text{CO}_2 + 6\text{H}_2\text{O} + \text{energy (ATP)} \][/tex]
Let's break it down step-by-step:
1. Reactants:
- Glucose (C6H12O6): This is the starting material, a type of sugar that serves as the primary source of energy.
- Oxygen (O2): Oxygen is essential for the process and is obtained from the air we breathe.
2. Products:
- Carbon Dioxide (CO2): This gas is produced as a waste product and is expelled from the body when we exhale.
- Water (H2O): Water is produced and can be utilized by the body or expelled as waste.
- Energy (ATP): Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the energy currency of the cell, produced through this process to power various cellular activities.
Given the options:
1. [tex]\(\text{CO}_2 + \text{H}_2 \text{O}\)[/tex]
2. [tex]\(\text{C}_6 \text{H}_{12} \text{O}_6 + \text{O}_2\)[/tex]
3. [tex]\(\text{CO}_2 + \text{H}_2 \text{O} + \text{O}_2\)[/tex]
4. [tex]\(\text{C}_6 \text{H}_{12} \text{O}_6 + \text{O}_2 + \text{energy}\)[/tex]
We can compare these to the known products of aerobic respiration:
- Option 1 lists carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) but omits energy (ATP), making it incorrect.
- Option 2 lists glucose (C6H12O6) and oxygen (O2), which are actually the reactants, not the products, making this option incorrect.
- Option 3 lists carbon dioxide (CO2), water (H2O), and oxygen (O2), which is partially correct but misleading because oxygen is a reactant, not a product.
- Option 4 includes glucose (C6H12O6), oxygen (O2), and energy, which seems partially correct but incorrectly represents glucose and oxygen as products instead of reactants.
Thus, the correct statement identifying the products of aerobic respiration is:
[tex]\[ \text{CO}_2 + \text{H}_2\text{O} + \text{energy} \][/tex]
