In: Biology
a) breakdown of glucose releases large amount of energy if glucose is oxidized in a single step, the energy released cannot be captured into the anhydride bonds of ATP.
free energy change of oxidation of glucose is -2840 kJ/mol.
this large amount of energy released once can damage cell as well.
b) glucose is oxidized to carbon dioxide and oxygen is reduced to water with the production of ATP, about 36 ATPs are produced per glucose.
C6H12O6+ 6CO2+ 36ADP+ 36Pi 6CO2+ 6 H2O + 36 ATP
c) major steps in cellular respiration are
glycolysis: glucose is converted to pyruvate.
pyruvate oxidation: pyruvate is converted to acetyl CoA
TCA cycle: acetyl CoA is oxidized to Carbon dioxide.
electron transport chain: NADH, FADH2 produced during these processes are oxidized and using the energy of electrons H+ from the matrix is pumped to intermembrane space, creating an H+ gradient, then ATP synthease makes ATP using the energy of H+ gradient.