What is the use of oxygen by the mitochondria to produce ATP known as?

The process by which oxygen is used by the mitochondria to produce ATP is most accurately referred to as cellular respiration. This term encompasses the entire biochemical pathway that cells use to convert glucose and oxygen into energy (in the form of ATP), along with carbon dioxide and water as byproducts. Cellular respiration consists of several stages, including glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and the electron transport chain, which all take place to efficiently extract energy from nutrients.

While aerobic respiration specifically refers to the part of cellular respiration that requires oxygen, cellular respiration itself can include both aerobic and anaerobic pathways depending on the availability of oxygen. Metabolism is a broader term that includes all chemical reactions in the body, encompassing both catabolic and anabolic processes. External respiration is related to the exchange of gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide) between the environment and the bloodstream, rather than the cellular processes that utilize these gases.

Understanding this distinction helps highlight why cellular respiration is the most appropriate term to describe the overall use of oxygen by mitochondria for ATP production.