Multiple Choice
In oxidative phosphorylation, the primary function of ATP synthase is to:
5
views
Review 4: Amino Acid Oxidation, Oxidative Phosphorylation, & Photophosphorylation
Oxidative Phosphorylation 1
Multiple Choice
In aerobic metabolism of one glucose molecule, which process produces the greatest amount of ATP?
A
Oxidative phosphorylation (electron transport chain and chemiosmosis)
B
Citric acid cycle (substrate-level phosphorylation as per acetyl-)
C
Glycolysis (substrate-level phosphorylation)
D
Fermentation (regeneration of without additional ATP yield beyond glycolysis)
Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Understand the overall process of aerobic metabolism of glucose, which includes glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation (electron transport chain and chemiosmosis). Each stage contributes differently to ATP production.
Step 2: Recall that glycolysis produces ATP via substrate-level phosphorylation, yielding a small net amount of ATP directly from glucose breakdown in the cytoplasm.
Step 3: Recognize that the citric acid cycle also produces ATP (or GTP) through substrate-level phosphorylation, but the amount per glucose molecule is limited since each glucose yields two acetyl-CoA molecules entering the cycle.
Step 4: Identify that oxidative phosphorylation, which includes the electron transport chain and chemiosmosis in the mitochondria, generates the majority of ATP by using the high-energy electrons carried by NADH and FADH2 to drive ATP synthase.
Step 5: Conclude that among the listed processes, oxidative phosphorylation produces the greatest amount of ATP per glucose molecule because it harnesses the energy from electron carriers generated in earlier steps to produce a large ATP yield.
Related Videos
Related Practice
