Anaerobic respiration releases much less energy per glucose than aerobic respiration because

  • A. glucose is only partially oxidised, leaving energy locked in products such as lactate
  • B. glycolysis does not occur without oxygen
  • C. oxygen directly destroys ATP molecules
  • D. the enzymes of respiration denature without oxygen

Explanation

Without oxygen as the final acceptor, the Krebs cycle and electron transport chain stop, so products such as lactate or ethanol still hold most of glucose's energy. Glycolysis itself runs normally, which is why a small yield of 2 ATP is still obtained.

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