Maximum amount of energy/ATP is liberated on oxidation of

Options

A. `beta`-amino acid
B. Malic acid
C. Palmitic acid
D. Glucose

Answer

To determine which compound liberates the maximum amount of energy/ATP upon oxidation, we need to analyze the options provided: beta amino acid, malic acid, palmitic acid, and glucose.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding the Compounds**:
- **Beta Amino Acid**: These are amino acids that contain an amino group on the beta carbon. They generally do not yield as much energy as fatty acids.
- **Malic Acid**: This is a four-carbon dicarboxylic acid involved in the Krebs cycle, but it does not yield as much energy as fatty acids.
- **Palmitic Acid**: This is a saturated fatty acid with 16 carbon atoms. Fatty acids are known to yield a high amount of energy when oxidized.
- **Glucose**: A six-carbon sugar that also provides energy through glycolysis and the Krebs cycle, but generally less than fatty acids.

2. **Energy Yield from Oxidation**:
- Fatty acids, especially long-chain saturated fatty acids like palmitic acid, undergo beta-oxidation, which breaks them down into acetyl-CoA units that enter the Krebs cycle. Each cycle generates ATP.
- Palmitic acid (C16) can produce a significant number of acetyl-CoA molecules and thus a high yield of ATP.
- In contrast, glucose, while it does produce ATP, does not match the energy yield of long-chain fatty acids.

3. **Calculating ATP Yield**:
- The complete oxidation of palmitic acid can yield approximately 106 ATP molecules.
- Glucose yields about 30-32 ATP molecules upon complete oxidation.
- Malic acid and beta amino acids yield even less energy.

4. **Conclusion**:
- Based on the analysis, palmitic acid provides the maximum amount of energy/ATP upon oxidation compared to the other options.

### Final Answer:
The maximum amount of energy/ATP is liberated on oxidation of **palmitic acid**.

---