Glycolysis, Fermentation, Death and Aerobic Cellular Respiration

Explain the inputs, major processes, and outputs of glycolysis, fermentation, and aerobic cellular respiration.
Glycolysis

Input: Glucose, ADP, NAD+

Output: Pyruvate, ATP, NADH

After a glucose molecule enters the cell, it is broken down in the cytoplasm. It is oxidized [loss of electrons, loss of energy] to 2 pyruvate, 2 ATP, and 2 NADH. NADH carries electrons to the electron transport chain, where most the most ATP is made in cellular respiration. The pyruvate enters the mitochondria and enters the citric acid cycle after it is oxidized into Acetyl CoA.

Fermentation

Input: Glucose, ADP

Output: Lactate OR Alcohol and CO₂, ATP

Fermentation occurs when there is no oxygen available for cellular respiration. Oxygen helps create the most ATP, but ATP still needs to be made even if oxygen is not available. ATP keeps organisms running. Because fermentation does not create as much ATP, I guess this may explain why oxygen-breathing organisms die when their supply of air is cut off. Fermentation uses phosphorylation to enzymatically create ATP. This results in the production of lactate [animals produce this] OR alcohol and CO₂ [bacteria produce this] which is harmful for organisms as the buildup can cause fatigue.

Aerobic Cellular Respiration

Input: Oxygen, Glucose, ADP, NAD+

Output: ATP

Aerobic respiration is complete cellular respiration, with glycolysis being the first step. Once 1 molecule of glucose has been broken down to 2 ATP, 2 NADH [this goes directly to the electron transport chain (ETC)], and 2 pyruvate, the pyruvate is oxidized [loss of electrons, loss of energy] and turns into Acetyl CoA. This enters the citric acid cycle, where every turn produces 2 CO₂, 3 NADH, 1 FADH, and 1 ATP. This gives us a total of 4 CO₂, 6 NADH, 2 FADH, and 2 ATP. The FADH and NADH, which contain the energy of the process, move to the ETC. Here, at the ETC, FADH and NADH are utilized to create the most ATP, about 30-32 to be exact.