What is the process of cellular respiration?

The process of cellular respiration is correctly defined as the procedure by which cells convert glucose and oxygen into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), carbon dioxide, and water. This process is fundamental for cellular energy production and occurs primarily in the mitochondria of eukaryotic cells. ATP serves as the main energy currency of the cell, fueling various biological processes necessary for life, such as muscle contraction, nerve impulse propagation, and biosynthesis.

In cellular respiration, glucose, a monosaccharide, is broken down through a series of reactions, including glycosis, the citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation. Oxygen plays a critical role in the final steps of this process, allowing electrons to be transferred through the electron transport chain, which ultimately leads to the production of ATP. The by-products of this process, carbon dioxide and water, are released and can be utilized or excreted by the organism.

The other options describe different biological processes. One refers to photosynthesis, which is the conversion of light energy into chemical energy and is not related to cellular respiration. Another describes protein metabolism rather than carbohydrate metabolism, and the last option discusses gluconeogenesis, the synthesis of glucose, which is the opposite of what occurs in cellular respiration. Hence