Why is oxygen an ideal electron acceptor in cellular respiration? I would guess it's because of its electronegativity but I'm not sure.
2007-10-11 09:45:29 · 3 answers · asked by cryptedchaos 4 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
You are right.
Among the typical elements involved in cellular respiration, oxygen is one of the most electronegative. It's fairly reactive because it needs 2 more electrons to fill its orbit. Because it's very reactive, it has a lot of free energy that it wants to get rid off. (remember, lots of energy = unstable/reactive, low energy = stable/unreactive)
Once oxygen gets those 2 electrons, it becomes stable and releases the excess free energy. These energy are released in the form of heat, light, such as in a combustion.
2007-10-11 14:29:17 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Oxygen needs two more electrons to complete the second shell. In cellular respiration, oxygen picks up these two electrons at the end of the electron transport chain, and it also picks up two hydrogen ions. So it gains two "pluses" and two "minuses", forming a molecule of water that has no overall charge. All works out pretty neatly.
2007-10-11 10:49:53 · answer #2 · answered by ecolink 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cellular respiration is the set of the metabolic reactions and processes that take place in the cells of organisms to convert biochemical energy from nutrients into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), in which oxygen is needed.and then to release waste products
2016-05-21 23:03:40 · answer #3 · answered by dona 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋