Question

One molecule of fat will produce more ATP than one molecule of glucose, because the fat molecule may yield six or more acetyl-CoA molecules, while glucose only produces two.

a-true
b-false

Answer 1

The statement is true; fat molecules yield significantly more ATP than glucose molecules due to their ability to generate more acetyl-CoA molecules during metabolism.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement is true; a molecule of fat can produce more ATP than a molecule of glucose. One molecule of fat yields more acetyl-CoA molecules compared to glucose, which only produces two acetyl-CoA molecules during its metabolic breakdown. For example, stearic acid, a common long-chain fatty acid with eighteen carbon atoms, can produce 120 molecules of ATP, while one molecule of glucose can produce up to 36 molecules of ATP. Fatty acids are more efficient at storing energy due to their structure, which allows for more extended oxidation and a greater number of ATP generation cycles.

Aerobic respiration of glucose yields ATP through several stages including, glycolysis, the citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle), and the electron transport chain (ETC). The complete oxidation of one glucose molecule is capable of producing a theoretical maximum yield of up to 38 ATP molecules, but actual yields can be lower due to energy costs for transporting intermediates into the mitochondria.