Cellular respiration requires several key substances, including glucose (C6H12O6) and oxygen (O2). During the process, glucose is broken down in the presence of oxygen to produce carbon dioxide (CO2), water (H2O), and energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
The mass of hydrogen is conserved during cellular respiration through the principle of mass conservation, which states that mass cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction. In cellular respiration, the hydrogen atoms from glucose are ultimately transferred to oxygen during the formation of water. When glucose is metabolized, it is converted into carbon dioxide, releasing hydrogen ions and electrons that are eventually combined with oxygen to form water. Thus, the total mass of hydrogen present in the reactants (glucose and oxygen) is equal to the total mass of hydrogen in the products (water and other metabolic byproducts), ensuring that hydrogen mass is conserved throughout the process.