Reactants:
* Glucose (C6H12O6): The primary fuel source for cellular respiration, obtained from food.
* Oxygen (O2): The electron acceptor in the electron transport chain, obtained from breathing.
Products:
* Carbon dioxide (CO2): A waste product of cellular respiration, exhaled from the lungs.
* Water (H2O): A byproduct of cellular respiration, helping to maintain hydration.
* ATP (Adenosine triphosphate): The energy currency of the cell, used for various cellular processes.
Other Important Molecules:
* NAD+ (Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide): An electron carrier that is reduced to NADH during glycolysis and the Krebs cycle.
* FAD (Flavin adenine dinucleotide): Another electron carrier that is reduced to FADH2 during the Krebs cycle.
* Pyruvate: A 3-carbon molecule produced during glycolysis, used in the Krebs cycle.
* Acetyl-CoA: A 2-carbon molecule produced from pyruvate, used in the Krebs cycle.
Summary: The chemicals involved in cellular respiration are not unique to animals or humans but are essential for the survival of all living organisms. They represent the fundamental processes of energy production and utilization common to all life.
