In cellular respiration, glucose reacts with oxygen to produce ATP. Glycolysis, the first step of cellular respiration, takes place in the cytoplasm and produces the chemical pyruvate and a small amount of ATP. Glycolysis can take place in the absence of oxygen. The remainder of cellular respiration take place in the mitochondria, where the pyruvate from glycolysis is reacted with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and more ATP.In fermentation, glucose reacts in the absence of oxygen to produce ATP. Fermentation involves glycolysis (the first step of cellular respiration) but converts the pyruvate into alcohol or lactic acid instead of reacting it with oxygen. Fermentation takes place entirely in the cytoplasm. Cellular respiration is the more efficient process because it produces much more ATP from each glucose molecule than does fermentation.

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