Why is anaerobic respiration considered less efficient than aerobic respiration?
a
Less energy is required during anaerobic respiration than aerobic respiration.
b
Less lactic acid is formed during anaerobic respiration than during aerobic respiration.
c
More oxygen is required for anaerobic respiration than for aerobic respiration.
d
More ATP molecules are gained in aerobic respiration than in anaerobic respiration.
Question 23
d
More ATP molecules are gained in aerobic respiration than in anaerobic respiration.
The correct answer is:
d
More ATP molecules are gained in aerobic respiration than in anaerobic respiration.
During aerobic respiration, which occurs in the presence of oxygen, glucose is completely broken down in the mitochondria to produce carbon dioxide, water, and a large amount of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) for cellular energy. In contrast, during anaerobic respiration, which occurs in the absence of oxygen, glucose is only partially broken down, resulting in the production of lactic acid or ethanol and a small amount of ATP. Therefore, aerobic respiration is considered more efficient as it produces a larger amount of ATP molecules.
The correct answer is option d: More ATP molecules are gained in aerobic respiration than in anaerobic respiration.
Now, let me explain why this is the case. In aerobic respiration, glucose is broken down completely in the presence of oxygen to produce carbon dioxide, water, and a large amount of ATP. Specifically, one glucose molecule can yield up to 36-38 ATP molecules through a process that involves glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and the electron transport chain.
On the other hand, anaerobic respiration occurs in the absence of oxygen and only involves glycolysis, which is the initial step of glucose breakdown. During glycolysis, glucose is partially oxidized to produce a small amount of ATP without producing carbon dioxide or water. However, instead of going through the Krebs cycle and the electron transport chain, the end product of glycolysis is converted into either lactic acid (in animals) or ethanol and carbon dioxide (in yeast and some bacteria).
Since anaerobic respiration does not utilize the complete breakdown of glucose, it produces significantly less ATP compared to aerobic respiration. This makes aerobic respiration more efficient in terms of energy production.