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BUILD A PROCESS

Follow carbon through respiration

Build the aerobic route and locate the final electron acceptor.

Build a process

Use the up and down buttons to build the sequence, then check your reasoning. Some biological events overlap; follow the simplified pathway described here.

  1. 1
    Chemiosmosis and oxygen reduction
  2. 2
    Electron transport
  3. 3
    Citric acid cycle
  4. 4
    Pyruvate oxidation
  5. 5
    Glycolysis
Read the complete pathway
  1. Glycolysis. Glucose becomes two pyruvate molecules in the cytosol, producing net ATP and NADH.
  2. Pyruvate oxidation. Pyruvate forms acetyl-CoA and releases CO₂ in the mitochondrial matrix.
  3. Citric acid cycle. Acetyl carbon is oxidised and electron carriers are reduced.
  4. Electron transport. Electron transfer supplies energy for proton pumping.
  5. Chemiosmosis and oxygen reduction. Protons drive ATP synthase; oxygen accepts electrons and forms water.

Explain what you observed

Does glycolysis directly use oxygen?

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Your study notes

Take the next step

Connect this activity with your lesson notes and chapter practice.

Read a related learning guide →Practise Bioenergetics →Open the student notes folder ↗

Concepts and sources

Curriculum connections: 2.1. Selected concepts.

Read the supporting source ↗PMDC curriculum ↗

Questions and explanations are original teaching material; these are not official exam questions.

Keep exploring Bioenergetics

Sort & explain

Route fats and proteins into respiration

Match breakdown products with their entry into metabolism.