Which process converts glucose into pyruvate and yields ATP?

Glycolysis is the process that converts glucose into pyruvate and produces ATP in the process. This occurs in the cytoplasm of the cell and is a fundamental metabolic pathway in cellular respiration. During glycolysis, one molecule of glucose (which is a six-carbon sugar) is broken down into two molecules of pyruvate (three-carbon compounds). This process involves a series of enzymatic reactions that result in the net production of ATP, as well as NADH, which is used later in the electron transport chain for further ATP production.

The overall reaction of glycolysis can be summarized as follows:

1 glucose + 2 NAD+ + 2 ATP → 2 pyruvate + 2 NADH + 4 ATP (net gain of 2 ATP)

This process is anaerobic, meaning it does not require oxygen, and it is the first stage of both aerobic and anaerobic respiration. Through glycolysis, cells can efficiently convert sugar into usable energy, making it essential for metabolism in many organisms.

Other processes listed, such as photosynthesis, fermentation, and oxidative phosphorylation, either do not directly produce ATP from glucose or are part of different stages of cellular respiration. For instance, photosynthesis is the process by which plants convert