Which of the following processes is NOT part of aerobic respiration?

Fermentation is not part of aerobic respiration; rather, it is an anaerobic process. In aerobic respiration, organisms utilize oxygen to fully break down glucose into carbon dioxide and water, allowing for the maximum yield of ATP. The key processes involved in aerobic respiration include the Krebs cycle, which generates electron carriers that feed into the electron transport chain, and oxidative phosphorylation, where ATP is produced based on the flow of electrons through the electron transport chain coupled with chemiosmosis.

Since fermentation occurs in the absence of oxygen and results in partial breakdown of glucose — often yielding products like lactic acid or ethanol instead of fully oxidizing substrates to carbon dioxide — it clearly functions outside the framework of aerobic respiration. This distinguishes fermentation from the other processes listed, which are integral components of respiration when oxygen is present.