The Free-Energy Change for the Oxidation of Glucose to CO₂

question 98

Multiple Choice

The free-energy change for the oxidation of glucose to CO₂ and water is -686 kcal/mol,and the free-energy change for the reduction of NAD⁺ to NADH is +53 kcal/mol.Why are only two molecules of NADH formed during glycolysis when it appears that as many as a dozen could be formed?

• A)Most of the-free energy available from the oxidation of glucose is captured by the production of ATP.
• B)Glycolysis is a very inefficient process,with much of the energy from glucose released as heat.
• C)Most of the free energy available from the oxidation of glucose remains in pyruvate,one of the products of glycolysis.
• D)Glycolysis consists of many enzyme-catalyzed reactions,each of which extracts a small amount of energy from the glucose molecule.

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Definitions:

Hydrogenation

The chemical process of adding hydrogen atoms to organic compounds, typically to reduce or saturate them.

Descriptive Term

A term used to provide information or describe specific features or characteristics of a subject.

Diene

refers to an organic compound containing two double bonds, often involved in polymerizations and other chemical reactions.

Lowest Energy

Pertains to the state of a system in which it possesses the minimum possible energy, often corresponding to the most stable state.