Cellular Respiration Practice Test 2025 – Complete Exam Prep Guide

In the context of cellular respiration, the equation summarizes the overall process in which glucose and oxygen are used by cells to produce energy in the form of ATP, along with carbon dioxide and water as byproducts. The essential substances involved in this equation are glucose and oxygen, which serve as the primary reactants.

ATP, though a product of cellular respiration, is not included in the equation since it is the energy currency that cells generate rather than a reactant. Carbon monoxide, on the other hand, is not a standard component of the equation that represents cellular respiration. Instead, it can inhibit cellular respiration by obstructing the transport of oxygen within the body and preventing oxygen from effectively binding to hemoglobin in red blood cells.

Thus, the answer identifies carbon monoxide as the substance that does not participate in the cellular respiration equation, distinguishing it from the essential reactants and products integral to the process.