Differentiating aerobic respiration and alcoholic fermentation

Aerobic respiration and alcoholic fermentation are two different metabolic processes that occur in cells to generate energy. Although they both involve the breakdown of glucose, there are several differences between the two processes. Let's examine these differences:

1. Number of ATP produced:
- In aerobic respiration, a total of 36-38 ATP molecules are produced per glucose molecule. This process occurs in the presence of oxygen and takes place in the mitochondria.
- On the other hand, alcoholic fermentation produces only 2 ATP molecules per glucose molecule. It occurs in the absence of oxygen and takes place in the cytoplasm of the cell.

2. Evolution of CO2:
- Both aerobic respiration and alcoholic fermentation involve the evolution of CO2, but this is not a differentiating factor between the two processes. In both processes, CO2 is released as a byproduct of the breakdown of glucose.

3. Requirement of oxygen:
- Aerobic respiration requires oxygen to take place. Oxygen acts as the final electron acceptor in the electron transport chain, allowing for the production of large amounts of ATP.
- In contrast, alcoholic fermentation does not require oxygen. It is an anaerobic process that occurs when oxygen is limited or unavailable.

4. Oxidative phosphorylation:
- Oxidative phosphorylation is a process that occurs during aerobic respiration. It involves the transfer of electrons through the electron transport chain, leading to the production of ATP.
- Alcoholic fermentation does not involve oxidative phosphorylation. Instead, it relies on glycolysis to break down glucose and produce a small amount of ATP.

Summary:
In summary, the main differences between aerobic respiration and alcoholic fermentation are:

- The number of ATP molecules produced: Aerobic respiration produces a larger amount of ATP compared to alcoholic fermentation.
- Requirement of oxygen: Aerobic respiration requires oxygen, while alcoholic fermentation does not.
- Involvement of oxidative phosphorylation: Aerobic respiration involves oxidative phosphorylation, while alcoholic fermentation does not.

It is important to note that the evolution of CO2 is a common feature of both processes and does not differentiate them from each other.

Both alcoholic fermentation and aerobic respiration involve CO₂ evolution. In fermentation net ATP gain is 2 while it is 38 in aerobic respiration.