Given below are two statements: Statement (I): In aerobic respiration, hydrogen removed from respiratory material combines with oxygen to form water. Statement (II): Removal of hydrogen from respiratory materials is the primary process in respiration. In light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below.

Step-by-step solution

Statement (I) is correct because in aerobic respiration, the final electron (and proton) acceptor is molecular oxygen. The hydrogen atoms removed from respiratory substrates during glycolysis and the Krebs cycle are transferred to coenzymes (NAD ^+ and FAD), which then pass them to the electron transport chain. Ultimately, oxygen accepts these electrons and protons to form water. Statement (II) is correct because respiration is essentially an oxidative process. The primary chemical event in the oxidation of respira