Basics of BiologyMolecules and Energy |
Why would most organisms die without oxygen? |
Most living organisms are aerobic—specifically, they require oxygen to complete the total breakdown of glucose. In particular, as many as thirty-six ATP are produced through aerobic metabolism of one glucose molecule. Without oxygen, cells do not synthesize enough ATP to maintain a multicellular organism.
Most people think that we need oxygen to breathe. Although this is true, we also need oxygen to recycle the spent electrons and hydrogen ions (H ) produced as by-products of aerobic respiration. With these by-products, oxygen combines and forms what is often referred to as “metabolic” water.