Video Transcript
Why is glycolysis considered an
anaerobic reaction? (A) Because oxygen is a key
reactant. (B) Because carbon dioxide is
produced. (C) Because oxygen is not
produced. Or (D) because it does not require
oxygen.
Aerobic cellular respiration is the
primary process by which plants and animal cells extract energy from sugars. It is different from anaerobic
respiration in that it requires oxygen. It is also able to synthesize many
more molecules of ATP per molecule of glucose. Aerobic respiration occurs in four
stages: glycolysis, the link reaction, the Krebs cycle, and oxidative
phosphorylation. The first step in this process is
glycolysis.
So why is glycolysis considered an
anaerobic reaction? Well, this step occurs in the
cytoplasm of the cell and does not depend upon the presence of oxygen. At this point in respiration,
glucose is converted into pyruvate molecules. Because oxygen is not a reactant
and is therefore not required for glycolysis, this reaction is considered
anaerobic. So even though glycolysis is part
of aerobic respiration, because this particular reaction doesn’t use oxygen, this
stage is considered anaerobic.
Therefore answer choice (D) is
correct. Glycolysis is considered an
anaerobic reaction as it does not require oxygen.
