Grade 12 · Biology
Glycolysis
Why it matters
Splitting glucose.
Advanced20m readingPrerequisite: None
What is glycolysis?
Short answer
Glycolysis is the first stage of cellular respiration, occurring in the cytoplasm, where one six-carbon glucose molecule is split into two three-carbon pyruvate molecules. It produces a net gain of two ATP and two NADH per glucose and does not require oxygen. The pyruvate then enters aerobic respiration or fermentation depending on oxygen availability.
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Frequently asked questions
- Where does glycolysis take place?
- In the cytoplasm of the cell, not inside the mitochondria.
- Does glycolysis need oxygen?
- No. Glycolysis is anaerobic; oxygen is only required by the later stages of aerobic respiration.