Cellular respiration is a process that cells use to transfer energy from food to form ATP. ATP is a special molecule which provides energy in a form that cells can use for cellular processes. The following chemical equation shows the chemical process of cellular respiration when oxygen is present.
C6H12O6 + 6 O2 --> 6 CO2 + 6 H2O + ATP
The chemical reactions in cellular respiration are similiar to the chemical reactions when organic compounds are burned, but no ATP is produced, instead - energy is released in the form of light and heat.
C6H12O6 + 6 O2 --> 6 CO2 + 6 H2O + light + heat
Cellular respiration that uses O2 is called aerobic respiration and most of the time cells in living bodies use aerobic respiration, anaerobic occurs when no oxygen is available. Under anaerobic conditions, many cells use a process called fermentation to produce ATP, there are two types of it : lactate (e.g. in muscles) and alcoholic (e.g. by yeast to make beer) …
