What gases are produced and consumed by animal cells during respiration?

During respiration in animal cells, oxygen is consumed while carbon dioxide is produced. This process is essential for the generation of energy within the cells. The oxygen is used in the mitochondria during aerobic respiration to help convert glucose from food into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the energy currency of the cell. As a by-product of this metabolic process, carbon dioxide is generated and then expelled from the cells into the bloodstream, eventually being exhaled through the lungs.

The other choices do not accurately reflect the gases involved in animal cellular respiration. Nitrogen is not a component utilized in cellular respiration, and hydrogen and carbon monoxide do not play a direct role in the typical metabolic processes of animal cells. Thus, the presence of oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production uniquely characterizes the correct response.