What role does cellular respiration play in the carbon cycle?

Cellular respiration returns carbon to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. During acetyl-CoA formation, pyruvate loses a carbon atom that is released as CO₂; more CO₂ is also released in the citric acid cycle. Glycolysis and electron transport do not release CO₂, so the correct choice is “It releases CO₂ to the atmosphere during acetyl CoA formation.”

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