How many ATP will be formed by oxidation of 1 mole glucose

Options

A. 36
B. 40
C. 24
D. 32

Answer

To determine how many ATP molecules are formed by the oxidation of one mole of glucose, we can follow these steps:

### Step 1: Understand the process of cellular respiration
Cellular respiration is the process by which glucose (C6H12O6) is oxidized to produce energy in the form of ATP. This process occurs in several stages: glycolysis, the Krebs cycle (also known as the citric acid cycle), and oxidative phosphorylation.

### Step 2: Glycolysis
During glycolysis, one molecule of glucose is broken down into two molecules of pyruvate. This process produces a net gain of 2 ATP and 2 NADH (which can be converted to ATP later).

### Step 3: Krebs Cycle
Each pyruvate enters the Krebs cycle. For each glucose molecule, two pyruvate molecules are produced, leading to two turns of the Krebs cycle. Each turn produces:
- 1 ATP (or GTP)
- 3 NADH
- 1 FADH2

Thus, for two turns (from one glucose):
- ATP: 2
- NADH: 6 (3 NADH per turn × 2 turns)
- FADH2: 2 (1 FADH2 per turn × 2 turns)

### Step 4: Total ATP from Krebs Cycle
From the Krebs cycle, we get a total of:
- ATP: 2
- NADH: 6
- FADH2: 2

### Step 5: Oxidative Phosphorylation
NADH and FADH2 produced in glycolysis and the Krebs cycle are used in oxidative phosphorylation to generate ATP:
- Each NADH can produce approximately 2.5 ATP.
- Each FADH2 can produce approximately 1.5 ATP.

Calculating the ATP from NADH and FADH2:
- From glycolysis: 2 NADH → 2 × 2.5 = 5 ATP
- From Krebs cycle: 6 NADH → 6 × 2.5 = 15 ATP
- From Krebs cycle: 2 FADH2 → 2 × 1.5 = 3 ATP

### Step 6: Total ATP Calculation
Now, we sum all the ATP produced:
- From glycolysis: 2 ATP
- From Krebs cycle: 2 ATP
- From oxidative phosphorylation (NADH and FADH2): 5 + 15 + 3 = 23 ATP

Total ATP = 2 (from glycolysis) + 2 (from Krebs cycle) + 23 (from oxidative phosphorylation) = 36 ATP

### Conclusion
The total ATP produced from the oxidation of one mole of glucose is 36.

### Final Answer
**36 ATP**