Asked by jayden

A student isolates an unknown bacterial sample from the bottom of a swamp area. The student discovers that this species of bacteria is able to live and grow in an oxygen-free environment, but it requires a nitrate-rich soil.

Which of the following respiration pathways is this species of bacteria most likely using?
A.
anaerobic respiration
B.
ethyl alcohol fermentation
C.
lactic acid fermentation
D.
aerobic respiration

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
A. anaerobic respiration

Explanation: In anaerobic respiration bacteria use an electron transport chain but substitute a molecule other than O2 as the terminal electron acceptor—commonly nitrate (NO3−) in soil—whereas fermentation does not use an electron transport chain and aerobic respiration requires O2.