Question

Which of the following best explains the MAIN purpose of the Citric Acid Cycle?

A) Production of a small amount of ATP.
B) Oxidation of glucose to pyruvate.
C) Generation of high-energy electrons for the electron transport chain.
D) Formation of glucose from pyruvate.

Answer 1

The MAIN purpose of the Citric Acid Cycle is to generate high-energy electrons for the electron transport chain, which are carried by NADH and FADH2, leading to ATP production through oxidative phosphorylation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The main purpose of the Citric Acid Cycle, also known as the Krebs cycle or TCA (tricarboxylic acid) cycle, is to generate high-energy electrons for the electron transport chain. During the cycle, acetyl CoA combines with oxaloacetate to form citric acid, which then goes through a series of reactions.

These reactions produce NADH and FADH2, which carry the high-energy electrons to the electron transport chain. This, in turn, leads to the production of ATP through a process called oxidative phosphorylation. While a small amount of ATP is directly produced during the cycle, the primary aim is to create the electron carriers that fuel ATP production in the electron transport chain.