Which process of cellular respiration generates the most ATP when glucose is completely oxidized to carbon dioxide and water?
Answers
Electron transport and chemiosmosis
Electron transport chain (ETC)
Refers to the series of electron carriers present in the internal membrane of the mitochondria. The electrons from NADH and FADH₂ are carried through the ETC and are finally accepted by water.
Some of the energy of these high energy electrons is used to pump protons into inter-membrane space. It leads to the formation of a proton gradient across the inner membrane.
This gradient is used by the enzyme ATP synthase to phosphorylate ADP into ATP which is termed as chemiosmosis.
ETC and chemiosmosis produced most of the ATP during cellular respiration.
Glycolysis only produces two ATP and two NADH. Krebs cycle produces 6 NADH and 2 FADH₂ from one glucose molecule.
These molecules of NADH and FADH₂ undergo ETC and chemiosmosis to produce ATP.