Students have been studying cellular respiration in their biology class and are working on a computer simulation that allows them to test the effects of several variables on the products of respiration. In one simulation, they are asked to change the initial concentrations of several gases, one at a time, to see the impact on ATP production in a muscle cell.

If the students begin by removing oxygen from the muscle cell, what should they predict will occur?


The cell will produce more ATP because oxygen inhibits ATP production in the mitochondria.

The cell will produce no ATP at all since oxygen is critical to ATP production.

The cell will produce the same amount of ATP since oxygen is not a factor in ATP production.

The cell will produce some ATP but in much lower amounts than if oxygen was present.