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Multiple Choice
Carbon dioxide ($\mathrm{CO_2}$) is released during which of the following stages of cellular respiration?
A
Electron transport chain
B
Citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle)
C
Glycolysis
D
Oxidative phosphorylation
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the stages of cellular respiration: Glycolysis, Citric Acid Cycle (Krebs Cycle), and Oxidative Phosphorylation (which includes the Electron Transport Chain). Each stage has specific roles in energy production and byproduct release.
Recall that carbon dioxide ($\mathrm{CO_2}$) is a byproduct of the breakdown of carbon-containing molecules. This occurs when carbon atoms are removed from molecules in the form of $\mathrm{CO_2}$ during metabolic reactions.
Focus on the Citric Acid Cycle (Krebs Cycle): This stage occurs in the mitochondrial matrix and involves the oxidation of acetyl-CoA. During this process, carbon atoms are released as $\mathrm{CO_2}$ when citrate is broken down into smaller molecules.
Eliminate other options: Glycolysis occurs in the cytoplasm and does not produce $\mathrm{CO_2}$, as it only breaks glucose into pyruvate. The Electron Transport Chain and Oxidative Phosphorylation involve the transfer of electrons and production of ATP, but they do not release $\mathrm{CO_2}$.
Conclude that the Citric Acid Cycle (Krebs Cycle) is the stage of cellular respiration where $\mathrm{CO_2}$ is released as a byproduct of the oxidation of acetyl-CoA.