Question

What role does cellular respiration play in the carbon cycle?

It removes
from the atmosphere during the citric acid cycle.

It removes
from the atmosphere during glycolysis.

It releases
to the atmosphere during electron transport.

It releases
to the atmosphere during acetyl CoA formation.

Answer 1

Short answer: cellular respiration returns carbon to the atmosphere as CO2 (during pyruvate oxidation and the citric acid cycle) and removes O2 from the atmosphere at the electron transport chain. Glycolysis does not directly exchange gases with the atmosphere.

Filled/corrected statements:
- Citric acid cycle: releases CO2 to the atmosphere (does not remove CO2).
- Glycolysis: neither removes nor releases atmospheric gases (no direct gas exchange).
- Electron transport: removes O2 from the atmosphere (O2 is the final electron acceptor; water is produced).
- Acetyl CoA formation (pyruvate oxidation): releases CO2 to the atmosphere.