What does cellular respiration primarily convert glucose and oxygen into?

Cellular respiration is a biochemical process through which cells convert glucose and oxygen into energy, carbon dioxide, and water. This process occurs in several stages, primarily in the mitochondria, where glucose is oxidized in the presence of oxygen. The overall reaction can be summarized by the equation:

[ \text{C}6\text{H}{12}\text{O}_6 (glucose) + 6 \text{O}_2 (oxygen) \rightarrow 6 \text{CO}_2 (carbon dioxide) + 6 \text{H}_2\text{O} (water) + \text{energy (ATP)} ]

During glycolysis, glucose is broken down into pyruvate, and then in the presence of oxygen, the pyruvate is further oxidized in the Krebs cycle (or citric acid cycle), producing electron carriers that feed into the electron transport chain. This chain ultimately generates ATP, which serves as the primary energy currency of the cell. Additionally, the byproducts of this process include carbon dioxide and water, which are expelled by the organism.

This explanation of the cellular respiration process highlights why the conversion of glucose and oxygen results in energy, carbon dioxide, and water, making that option