Could hydrogen replace oxygen in cellular respiration?

Question

I was wondering what oxygen actually does in the body. I have seen a few answers to other questions that involve the electron chain and I am really not sure what that is. So I was wondering what oxygen does and could hydrogen do the same thing as a substitute?

Answer 1

Nope--think about the electronegativity of oxygen. Without oxygen electrons would not be pulled down the electron transport chain. Additionally oxygen is a poison to living organisms. Aerobic respiration is a way to neutralize the oxidation effects of oxygen by it being the final electron acceptor in the ETC, combining with hydrogen, and forming a harmless product H₂O.

Answer 2

Hydrogen does not have the proper count of electrons to bond properly with glucose/sugar to create ADP. Hydrogen has 1 electron. Oxygen has 8 I believe.