What process involves the physical separation of the cytoplasm and cell components after mitosis?

Cytokinesis is the process that specifically involves the physical separation of the cytoplasm and its components following mitosis. After mitosis, where the nucleus divides and the genetic material is separated, cytokinesis ensures that the rest of the cell's contents, including organelles and cytoplasm, are equally distributed to the newly formed daughter cells. This process typically involves the formation of a cleavage furrow in animal cells, or a cell plate in plant cells, effectively splitting the single cell into two distinct cells.

In contrast, mitosis itself refers solely to the division of the nucleus and the distribution of genetic material. DNA replication is an earlier phase that occurs before mitosis, where the cell duplicates its DNA to prepare for division. Cellular respiration deals with the metabolic process by which cells convert glucose and oxygen into energy, which is unrelated to cell division and the physical separation of cellular components. Thus, the identification of cytokinesis as the correct answer underscores its essential role in completing the cell division process after mitosis.