Energy from the mitochondrion is also stored in the form of ATP. A net of 30 ATP molecules is produced for every two molecules of pyruvate.
Analyze: Cellular respiration involves two phases. The anaerobic phase does not involve oxygen, while the aerobic phase does. Where does each phase take place?
Anaerobic:
The anaerobic phase of cellular respiration takes place in the cytoplasm of the cell. Specifically, the process of glycolysis occurs in the cytoplasm.
During glycolysis, glucose is broken down into two molecules of pyruvate, and a small amount of ATP is produced.
Aerobic:
The aerobic phase of cellular respiration takes place in the mitochondria of the cell. After glycolysis, the pyruvate molecules enter the mitochondria, where they undergo further reactions in the presence of oxygen to produce a large amount of ATP through the processes of the Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation.
These aerobic reactions occur in the inner membrane of the mitochondria, specifically in the matrix (for the Krebs cycle) and on the inner membrane (for the electron transport chain and oxidative phosphorylation).