What do we call the process in which pyruvic acid is converted to alcohol and carbon dioxide?

What do we call the process in which pyruvic acid is converted to alcohol and carbon dioxide?

• A. Lactic Acid Fermentation
• B. Alcohol Fermentation
• C. Cellular Respiration
• D. Aerobic Respiration

Answer: (B)

The process in which pyruvic acid is converted to alcohol and carbon dioxide is known as Alcohol Fermentation. This anaerobic process occurs primarily in yeast and some types of bacteria when oxygen is absent. During fermentation, the pyruvic acid, which is a product of glycolysis, is decarboxylated, meaning it loses a carbon atom in the form of carbon dioxide, resulting in the formation of ethanol, or alcohol. This type of fermentation is essential for producing alcoholic beverages and is also used in food production, such as in the making of bread, where the carbon dioxide produced helps the dough to rise. Other metabolic processes such as Lactic Acid Fermentation convert pyruvic acid into lactic acid, which occurs in muscle cells during intense exercise when oxygen levels are low. Cellular Respiration, on the other hand, includes aerobic and anaerobic pathways for the complete oxidation of glucose, primarily using oxygen in aerobic conditions to produce ATP, carbon dioxide, and water, and does not produce alcohol. Aerobic Respiration specifically refers to the process dependent on oxygen to generate energy, which is not applicable in this scenario where oxygen is absent and fermentation takes place.

The process in which pyruvic acid is converted to alcohol and carbon dioxide is known as Alcohol Fermentation. This anaerobic process occurs primarily in yeast and some types of bacteria when oxygen is absent. During fermentation, the pyruvic acid, which is a product of glycolysis, is decarboxylated, meaning it loses a carbon atom in the form of carbon dioxide, resulting in the formation of ethanol, or alcohol. This type of fermentation is essential for producing alcoholic beverages and is also used in food production, such as in the making of bread, where the carbon dioxide produced helps the dough to rise.

Other metabolic processes such as Lactic Acid Fermentation convert pyruvic acid into lactic acid, which occurs in muscle cells during intense exercise when oxygen levels are low. Cellular Respiration, on the other hand, includes aerobic and anaerobic pathways for the complete oxidation of glucose, primarily using oxygen in aerobic conditions to produce ATP, carbon dioxide, and water, and does not produce alcohol. Aerobic Respiration specifically refers to the process dependent on oxygen to generate energy, which is not applicable in this scenario where oxygen is absent and fermentation takes place.