Cellular respirations
• Oxygen atoms, being highly electronegative, pull shared electron pairs toward themselves when bound to carbon.
• This electron movement is equivalent to carbon losing electrons.
• The attachment of oxygen to carbon places electrons in a more stable configuration, releasing free energy.
• Free Energy and Reaction:
• Aerobic oxidation of glucose moves valence electrons from high free energy (glucose) to lower free energy (carbon dioxide and water).
• Results in:
• Decrease in potential energy.
• Increase in entropy.
• Reaction:

• Standard free energy change (): -2870 kJ/mol glucose under standard lab conditions (25°C, 101.3 kPa).
• Cellular conditions yield : ~-3012 kJ/mol glucose.
• Standard value of -2870 kJ/mol glucose is used for calculations.
• Energy Release:
• Burning glucose in a test tube releases energy as heat and light.
• In cells:
• About 34% of free energy is captured in molecules like ATP.
• These molecules serve as energy sources for powering endergonic processes.
This breakdown summarizes key points for understanding the aerobic oxidation of glucose and its biological significance.
Updated 136d ago