Question

How do you calculate ATP production?

Answer 1

Aerobic cellular respiration:

1. Aerobic cellular respiration is a process that prevents energy loss in the form of heat.
2. Glycolysis is the breakdown of glucose to two molecules of pyruvate that occurs outside the mitochondria, which have 2 ATP molecules.
3. Enzymes of Krebs cycle are located in the fluid-filled matrix of mitochondria.
4. Therefore, pyruvate diffuses into mitochondria and the gets converted into acetyl CoA to enter citric acid cycle.
5. During citric acid cycle, 36 ATP molecules are produced.
6. So, all total here are 38 molecules of ATP produced in aerobic respiration and 2 ATP are formed outside the mitochondria.

Calculation of ATP production in aerobic respiration:

Glycolysis: 8 ATP (2 ATP + 2 NADH = 6 ATP, i.e. 3 ATPs per NADH molecule)

Decarboxylation of pyruvate to acetyl CoA:

6 ATP (2 NADH = 6 ATP, i.e. 3 ATP per NADH molecule)

Krebs cycle: 24 ATP (6 NADH = 18 ATP, 2 FADH₂ = 4 ATP (2 ATP per FADH₂) and 2 ATP)

Total: 38 ATP