Glucose + oxygen gas -> carbon dioxide + water + energy
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During respiration, animals convert chemical energy stored in glucose into ATP (adenosine triphosphate) through a series of biochemical reactions. ATP is the main source of energy used by cells for various biological processes.
Animals convert chemical energy from molecules into mechanical energy used for movement, heat energy for body temperature regulation, and electrical energy for neural communication. This conversion primarily occurs through cellular respiration, where glucose is broken down to generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the cell's main energy source.
The gas in the atmosphere important to respiration is oxygen. It is taken in by animals during breathing and used in cellular respiration to produce energy for their cells.
When oxygen is not present to break down glucose through aerobic respiration, the process shifts to anaerobic respiration (fermentation) to continue producing energy. This results in the incomplete breakdown of glucose, leading to the production of lactic acid in animals or ethanol in plants and some microorganisms. This process is less efficient in terms of energy production compared to aerobic respiration.
Oxygen atoms are made available to the cells of animals through respiration. During respiration, animals breathe in oxygen from the atmosphere, which is then transported by the circulatory system to cells where it is used in cellular respiration to produce energy in the form of ATP.
The chemical process that converts food into energy is called cellular respiration. It occurs in the mitochondria of cells and involves breaking down food molecules to produce ATP, the main energy currency of the cell.