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Multiple Choice
Which of the following processes produces the most ATP during cellular respiration?
A
Oxidative phosphorylation (electron transport chain and chemiosmosis)
B
Fermentation
C
Glycolysis
D
Citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle)
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand that cellular respiration is the process by which cells generate ATP, the energy currency of the cell, through a series of metabolic pathways.
Recall the four main stages of cellular respiration: glycolysis, pyruvate oxidation, the citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle), and oxidative phosphorylation (which includes the electron transport chain and chemiosmosis).
Recognize that glycolysis occurs in the cytoplasm and produces a small amount of ATP (net gain of 2 ATP per glucose molecule) through substrate-level phosphorylation.
Understand that the citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle) occurs in the mitochondrial matrix and also produces a small amount of ATP (2 ATP per glucose molecule) through substrate-level phosphorylation, while generating high-energy electron carriers (NADH and FADH2).
Learn that oxidative phosphorylation, which includes the electron transport chain and chemiosmosis, occurs in the inner mitochondrial membrane and produces the majority of ATP (approximately 26-28 ATP per glucose molecule) by using the energy from electrons carried by NADH and FADH2 to drive ATP synthesis via ATP synthase.