Final answer:
NADH has a strong affinity for electrons and a negative redox potential, making it an important electron carrier in cellular metabolism. It donates its electrons to other molecules in the electron transport chain, not directly to oxygen.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer to the student’s question about NADH is d) It has a strong affinity for electrons and a negative redox potential. NADH is the reduced form of NAD+ after it has accepted two electrons and a proton (the equivalent of a hydrogen atom plus an extra electron).
This molecule is an important electron carrier in the metabolic processes of cells. It plays a critical role in the transfer of electrons in redox reactions, particularly in cellular respiration where it donates electrons to the electron transport chain.
NADH does not donate electrons directly to molecular oxygen; rather, it transfers them to other molecules in the chain, such as ubiquinone (also known as coenzyme Q) and eventually the electrons reach oxygen to form water.