Cellular Respiration Gerbil Metabolism - Science Learning Center

The energy of glucose is used as food (or fuel) by nearly all living
organism, including plants and animals, to stay alive, to main
homeostasis, and to run their metabolism. The energy stored in
chemical bonds of food molecules must be released and converted
into a diffusible, usable form. That form is the high energy molecules
ATP. The release of energy from organic food molecules is
accomplished by the chemical process of oxidation. Oxidation is the
release of electrons and energy from a substance. Glucose is usually
the food molecule that is oxidized, and the oxidation process involves
a great many separate steps or chemical reactions. These reactions
are collectively called cellular respiration.
If a molecular oxygen is available to the cell, the cell will generate
proceed to oxidize the pyruvate aerobically (oxygen required) until it
has been converted to carbon dioxide and water.