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The correct answer is Respiration. In biology, respiration is the process by which cells release energy from food molecules, primarily glucose, to carry out vital life activities. This energy is stored in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which powers cellular functions such as growth, movement, reproduction, and maintenance.
During cellular respiration, glucose molecules are broken down in the presence of oxygen in a series of chemical reactions, known as aerobic respiration:
C6H12O6+6O2→6CO2+6H2O+Energy (ATP)\text{C}_6\text{H}_{12}\text{O}_6 + 6\text{O}_2 → 6\text{CO}_2 + 6\text{H}_2\text{O} + \text{Energy (ATP)}C6H12O6+6O2→6CO2+6H2O+Energy (ATP)
The energy released in this process is used for various cellular activities, while carbon dioxide and water are byproducts.
It is important to note the difference from other processes:
Photosynthesis – Energy is stored, not released. Plants convert sunlight into chemical energy in glucose molecules.
Ingestion – Simply the intake of food, no energy is released yet.
Absorption – The uptake of nutrients from the digestive system into the bloodstream, again no energy is released immediately.
Respiration occurs in all living organisms, including plants and animals, and is a continuous process necessary for survival. There are also anaerobic respiration processes (without oxygen), which release less energy and produce byproducts like lactic acid or ethanol.
Understanding respiration is fundamental in biology because it explains how organisms obtain energy from food and maintain life functions efficiently.
Respiration releases energy stored in glucose.
Energy is captured in ATP molecules for cellular activities.
Photosynthesis stores energy, opposite of respiration.
Ingestion and absorption are preparatory steps, not energy-releasing.
Aerobic respiration is more efficient than anaerobic respiration.
👉 Final Answer: Energy is released during Respiration.
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