All living organisms depend on __________ to maintain __________ processes that produce __________ for growth and reproduction.

The correct answer highlights the essential role of oxygen in supporting metabolic processes across all living organisms. Oxygen is critical for cellular respiration, a metabolic process where organisms convert nutrients into energy. This energy is fundamental for maintaining various biological functions necessary for growth and reproduction.

Metabolic processes can only occur efficiently in the presence of oxygen; energy is released when nutrients like glucose are processed in the presence of oxygen. This vital energy enables organisms to perform a wide array of functions, from movement and growth to reproduction and cellular repair.

The other options allude to important aspects of biological systems but do not encapsulate the fundamental relationship as clearly as the correct choice. Water is crucial for many metabolic activities, but it is not the primary gas for aerobic respiration. Carbon dioxide is a byproduct of metabolism rather than a driving force. Minerals do provide essential nutrients but do not directly relate to the energy production process in the same way that oxygen does. Thus, the emphasis on oxygen and its direct role in energy production makes this answer accurate and relevant in the context of biological needs.