Cellular respiration: the equation and its three stages
Grade 9 Science Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.
“model, not to scale” Ari reads a diagram of one stage of breaking down glucose. In box A, 1 glucose is split into 2 pyruvate. Where in the cell does stage A happen?
- In the nucleus
- In the cytoplasm
- In the mitochondrial matrix
- On the inner mitochondrial membrane
Flow diagram (model, not to scale), drawn across a cell with one mitochondrion. No wavy arrow label is drawn. Bo reads a diagram of the citric acid cycle. In box B, an acetyl group joins a four-carbon molecule and CO2 is released. Where does stage B happen?
Flow diagram (model, not to scale), drawn across a cell with one mitochondrion. Inputs in boxes on the left: acetyl group (2 carbons); four-carbon molecule. Outputs in boxes on the right: B: CO2. No wavy arrow label is drawn. The places shown are the cytoplasm, the matrix and inner membrane of the mitochondrion, and a ribosome next to the nucleus. Flow diagram (model, not to scale), drawn across a cell with one mitochondrion. Inputs in boxes on the left: acetyl group (2 carbons); four-carbon molecule. Outputs in boxes on the right: B: CO2. No wavy arrow label is drawn. The places shown are the cytoplasm, the matrix and inner membrane of the mitochondrion, and a ribosome next to the nucleus. nucleus ribosome cytoplasm matrix inner membrane acetyl group (2 carbons) four-carbon molecule B: CO2 - On the inner mitochondrial membrane
- In the mitochondrial matrix
- On a ribosome next to the nucleus
- In the cytoplasm outside the mitochondrion
Read this first
Use this
Flow diagram (model, not to scale), drawn across a cell with one mitochondrion. Inputs in boxes on the left: electrons from NADH; oxygen. Outputs in boxes on the right: water. Box C is the chain of proteins. A wavy arrow points out: energy used to make ATP.
Esme reads that oxygen is used at box C, a chain of proteins that passes electrons along. Where is this electron transport chain found?
- In a vacuole near the cell membrane
- In the cytoplasm outside the mitochondrion
- In the matrix inside the mitochondrion
- On the inner mitochondrial membrane
Equation card, from OpenStax Biology 2e
C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy. Inputs in boxes on the left: glucose, C6H12O6; oxygen, 6O2. Outputs in boxes on the right: carbon dioxide, 6CO2; water, 6H2O. A wavy arrow points out: energy. The cell is a leaf cell kept in the dark.
Jun reads that a leaf cell kept in the dark breaks down glucose to make ATP. Which two things does the respiration equation show going in?
- Glucose and oxygen
- Carbon dioxide and water
- Light and carbon dioxide
- Glucose and carbon dioxide
Equation card, from OpenStax Biology 2e
C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy. Inputs in boxes on the left: glucose, C6H12O6; oxygen, 6O2. Outputs in boxes on the right: carbon dioxide, 6CO2; water, 6H2O. A wavy arrow points out: energy.
Kira reads the respiration equation. How many oxygen molecules, O2, does the equation use for each glucose?
- 2, the small number after the O
- 6, the large number in front of the O2
- 1, the same count as the glucose
- 12, the count of oxygen atoms instead
Flow diagram (model, not to scale), drawn across a cell. Milo hears that cells carry out cellular respiration. Which phrase tells what cellular respiration means?
Flow diagram (model, not to scale), drawn across a cell. Inputs in boxes on the left: glucose; oxygen. Outputs in boxes on the right: carbon dioxide; water. A wavy arrow points out: energy as ATP and heat. Flow diagram (model, not to scale), drawn across a cell. Inputs in boxes on the left: glucose; oxygen. Outputs in boxes on the right: carbon dioxide; water. A wavy arrow points out: energy as ATP and heat. cell glucose oxygen carbon dioxide water energy as ATP and heat - Making new energy inside the cell from nothing
- Breathing air in and out through the lungs
- Using glucose and oxygen in cells to make ATP
- Making glucose from light, water and carbon dioxide
Glycolysis ATP count (real data, from OpenStax Biology 2e)
measure ATP per glucose ATP spent 2 ATP made 4 Noah reads that glycolysis spends 2 ATP and makes 4 ATP from one glucose. Which phrase describes the ATP glycolysis adds for the cell?
- Most of the ATP made from one glucose
- A small net gain of 2 ATP per glucose
- A net gain of 4 ATP, with nothing spent
- ATP made by the electron transport chain
Use this
Flow diagram (model, not to scale), drawn inside a pea plant cell. No wavy arrow label is drawn. The cell has chloroplasts and mitochondria.
Pia looks at a pea plant cell that has chloroplasts and mitochondria. What do the mitochondria do?
Flow diagram (model, not to scale), drawn inside a pea plant cell. Inputs in boxes on the left: sugars; oxygen. Outputs in boxes on the right: carbon dioxide; water. No wavy arrow label is drawn. The cell has chloroplasts and mitochondria. Flow diagram (model, not to scale), drawn inside a pea plant cell. Inputs in boxes on the left: sugars; oxygen. Outputs in boxes on the right: carbon dioxide; water. No wavy arrow label is drawn. The cell has chloroplasts and mitochondria. sugars oxygen carbon dioxide water pea plant cell chloroplasts mitochondria - They make glucose from light
- They take in air through the leaf for the plant
- They stay idle, since chloroplasts handle the plant's energy
- They use sugars to make ATP
Ren reads a chart of where the ATP from glucose is made. Blank box D makes about 90 percent of the ATP. Which label fits D?
Chart of the ATP made from one glucose (real data, from OpenStax Biology 2e), 2 rows. Columns: box, share of the ATP. D, about 90 percent; E, a small share. The label of box D is blank. Chart of the ATP made from one glucose (real data, from OpenStax Biology 2e), 2 rows. Columns: box, share of the ATP. D, about 90 percent; E, a small share. The label of box D is blank. ATP made from one glucose (real data, from OpenStax Biology 2e) box share of the ATP D about 90 percent E a small share The label of box D is blank. - Pyruvate oxidation in the matrix
- Chemiosmosis on the inner membrane
- The citric acid cycle in the matrix
- Glycolysis in the cytoplasm
Use this
Flow diagram (model, not to scale), drawn across a cell. Inputs in boxes on the left: glucose; oxygen. Outputs in boxes on the right: carbon dioxide; water. A wavy arrow F points out of the reaction; its label is blank.
Tala sees glucose and oxygen go into a cell, with a wavy arrow F pointing out. Which label fits the wavy arrow F?
- Energy moved into ATP and heat
- New energy made by the cell
- Light energy from the Sun
- Air breathed out by the lungs