Aerobic respiration

Definition

Aerobic respiration is a metabolic process in muscle tissue where oxygen is used to break down glucose into energy, water, and carbon dioxide. It occurs in the mitochondria of cells and is the primary method by which cells generate ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy currency of the cell.

Related terms

ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate):

A molecule that stores and transfers energy within cells, acting as the main energy currency for cellular processes.

Mitochondria: Organelles found in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells that are termed as the powerhouse of the cell because they generate most of the cell's supply of ATP through aerobic respiration.

Glycolysis:

The first step in both aerobic and anaerobic respiration where glucose is broken down into pyruvate, producing a small amount of ATP