Which of the following best describes aerobic respiration?

Aerobic respiration is defined by its requirement for oxygen to effectively produce energy. In this process, glucose and other substrates are oxidized in the presence of oxygen, allowing for the complete breakdown of these molecules. This occurs in the mitochondria of eukaryotic cells and involves multiple stages, including glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and the electron transport chain. The presence of oxygen enables the efficient production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) through oxidative phosphorylation, resulting in a significantly higher yield of energy compared to anaerobic processes.

The energy produced during aerobic respiration can yield up to 36-38 ATP molecules per glucose molecule, which highlights its efficiency. This contrasts with anaerobic respiration, where energy is produced without oxygen and results in lower ATP yields, underscoring the critical role oxygen plays in maximizing the energy extraction from metabolic substrates.