ATP yield (moles) from carbohydrates per mol glucose is:

Correct option is C

The total ATP yield from the complete aerobic oxidation of one mole of glucose (a carbohydrate) is approximately 38 moles of ATP. This ATP production includes energy generated from glycolysis, the Krebs cycle (citric acid cycle), and oxidative phosphorylation via the electron transport chain. This value represents the energy currency produced by cells to carry out various metabolic activities.
Information Booster: Glucose metabolism begins with glycolysis in the cytoplasm, producing 2 ATP molecules directly and 2 NADH molecules, which generate additional ATP during oxidative phosphorylation. The pyruvate produced enters the mitochondria and is converted to acetyl-CoA, which enters the Krebs cycle. The Krebs cycle produces NADH and FADH2, which donate electrons to the electron transport chain, resulting in the synthesis of the bulk of ATP molecules. The combined processes yield about 38 ATP molecules per glucose under optimal aerobic conditions, providing energy for cellular functions.
Additional Knowledge:
· (a) 18 ATP: This is too low and does not account for all the ATP generated from complete oxidation of glucose.
· (b) 28 ATP: This is an underestimate, sometimes cited in older texts but less accurate than 38 ATP.
· (d) 48 ATP: This overestimates the ATP yield as cellular respiration efficiency and proton leakage limit the total ATP produced.