What happens to the pyruvic acid produced in glycolysis?

Question

What happens to the pyruvic acid produced in glycolysis?

Answer 1

In the presence of oxygen it enters the mitochondria and during the link reaction loses  one carbon atom as carbon dioxide and the remaining 2 carbon part is combined with Coenzyme A and delivered to the Kreb's Cycle where it is transferred to a 4 carbon acceptor (oxaloacetate) to produce a 6 carbon compound (citric acid). The remaing 2 carbons are removed as carbon dioxide during the Kreb's Cycle and FADH2 & NADH are produced which then enter the electron transport chain and give rise to ATP.

In the absence of oxygen pyruvate is fermented to lactic acid (eg in animals) or ethanol and carbon dioxide (eg in plants)