Aerobic cellular respiration is a crucial metabolic process that occurs in the presence of oxygen, allowing cells to convert glucose into usable energy. The stages of aerobic cellular respiration can be remembered using the mnemonic "Giant Pandas Killed Elvis," which corresponds to the following sequence: Glycolysis, Pyruvate Oxidation, Krebs Cycle, and Electron Transport Chain with Chemiosmosis.
In the first stage, glycolysis takes place in the cytoplasm, where glucose is broken down into two molecules of pyruvate, yielding a small amount of ATP and NADH. The second stage, pyruvate oxidation, occurs in the mitochondria, where each pyruvate is converted into acetyl-CoA, producing CO2 and additional NADH.
The third stage is the Krebs Cycle (also known as the Citric Acid Cycle), which takes place in the mitochondrial matrix. Here, acetyl-CoA is further oxidized, generating ATP, NADH, FADH2, and releasing CO2 as a byproduct. Finally, the electron transport chain and chemiosmosis occur across the inner mitochondrial membrane, where electrons from NADH and FADH2 are transferred through a series of proteins, ultimately leading to the production of a significant amount of ATP through oxidative phosphorylation.
Understanding these stages and their order is essential for grasping how cells efficiently produce energy. The correct sequence of stages is glycolysis, pyruvate oxidation, Krebs cycle, and electron transport chain with chemiosmosis, confirming that option B is the accurate representation of this process.