Which of the following are reactants of cellular respiration?

• A. Carbon dioxide (\(CO_2\)) and water (\(H_2O\))
• B. Oxygen (\(O_2\)) and ATP
• C. Glucose (\(C_6H_{12}O_6\)) and carbon dioxide (\(CO_2\))
• D. Glucose (\(C_6H_{12}O_6\)) and oxygen (\(O_2\))

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Begin by understanding the process of cellular respiration. Cellular respiration is a metabolic pathway that converts glucose (\(C_6H_{12}O_6\)) and oxygen (\(O_2\)) into energy in the form of ATP, along with byproducts such as carbon dioxide (\(CO_2\)) and water (\(H_2O\)).
2. Step 2: Identify the reactants in cellular respiration. Reactants are the substances that are consumed during the reaction. In this case, glucose (\(C_6H_{12}O_6\)) and oxygen (\(O_2\)) are the molecules that are used to produce energy.
3. Step 3: Eliminate incorrect options by analyzing their roles in cellular respiration. For example, carbon dioxide (\(CO_2\)) and water (\(H_2O\)) are products, not reactants. ATP is also a product of cellular respiration, not a reactant.
4. Step 4: Confirm the correct answer by reviewing the chemical equation for cellular respiration: $C{6}_{12}H{6}_6+6O{2}_2\to 6\mathrm{CO}{2}_2+6H{2}_{\mathrm{O}}+\mathrm{ATP}$
5. Step 5: Conclude that the correct reactants for cellular respiration are glucose (\(C_6H_{12}O_6\)) and oxygen (\(O_2\)), as they are required to initiate the process and produce energy.