What process occurs when glucose and other nutrients are converted into energy?

Cellular respiration is the process through which glucose and other nutrients are converted into energy, specifically in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This multi-step metabolic pathway occurs in cells and is essential for maintaining cellular functions. During cellular respiration, glucose undergoes a series of reactions, including glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation, ultimately leading to the production of ATP.

While metabolism encompasses all chemical reactions within the body related to energy production and consumption—including both anabolic (building up) and catabolic (breaking down) processes—cellular respiration specifically refers to the conversion of glucose into energy. Aerobic respiration is a type of cellular respiration that requires oxygen and produces a higher yield of ATP compared to anaerobic processes, but it is a subset of cellular respiration. Fermentation is an anaerobic process that also produces energy from glucose but is less efficient than cellular respiration and does not yield ATP through the same pathways. Thus, cellular respiration is the accurate term applying specifically to the process of energy conversion from glucose.