Question

17. Overall the drop in reduction potential from NADH to water is equivalent to the energy needed to synthesize six or seven molecules of ATP, yet only about 2.5 molecules of ATP are actually synthesized? How does this apparent thermodynamic inefficiency allow ATP synthesis to be achieved? What would happen if the system were 100% efficient?

Answer 1

The ATP synthesis is achieved by the generation of proton motive force(PMF).

Step-by-step explanation:

The proton motive force is generated by the transport of electrons from intermembrane space to matrix of mitocondria. The proton motive force is utilized by FO F1 ATPase to generate ATP from the phosphorylation of ADP and inorganic phosphate(Pi).

If the system were 100% efficient then 64 molecules of of ATP can be generated from the complete oxidation of 1 molecule of glucose by aerobic respiration.