Why is anaerobic respiration considered less efficient than aerobic respiration?
a
Less energy is required during anaerobic respiration than aerobic respiration.
b
More ATP molecules are gained in aerobic respiration than in anaerobic respiration.
c
Less lactic acid is formed during anaerobic respiration than during aerobic respiration.
d
More oxygen is required for anaerobic respiration than for aerobic respiration.
b
More ATP molecules are gained in aerobic respiration than in anaerobic respiration.
b
More ATP molecules are gained in aerobic respiration than in anaerobic respiration.
The correct answer is b) More ATP molecules are gained in aerobic respiration than in anaerobic respiration.
To understand why anaerobic respiration is considered less efficient than aerobic respiration, we need to compare the ATP production in both processes. ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is the primary energy-carrying molecule in cells.
During aerobic respiration, which occurs in the presence of oxygen, the breakdown of glucose results in the production of a maximum of 36-38 ATP molecules per glucose molecule. This is because the complete oxidation of glucose in the presence of oxygen allows for the efficient extraction of energy through several stages: glycolysis, the Krebs cycle (also known as the citric acid cycle), and the electron transport chain.
In contrast, anaerobic respiration occurs in the absence or limited supply of oxygen. One common type of anaerobic respiration is fermentation, which occurs in organisms like yeasts and some bacteria. During fermentation, energy is extracted from glucose without the involvement of oxygen. However, since the oxidative stages of aerobic respiration are not present, the amount of ATP generated is relatively small. In the case of fermentation, only 2 ATP molecules per glucose molecule are produced via a process called glycolysis.
Therefore, because aerobic respiration produces significantly more ATP molecules compared to anaerobic respiration, it is considered more efficient in terms of energy production.