Final answer:
Metabolism involves glycolysis, formation of acetylCoA, the Krebs cycle, and the electron transport chain. Glycolysis converts glucose into pyruvate, formation of acetylCoA converts pyruvate into acetylCoA, the Krebs cycle generates NADH, FADH2, and ATP from acetylCoA, and the electron transport chain produces ATP through oxidative phosphorylation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Glycolysis is the first step of metabolism, where a glucose molecule is broken down into two pyruvate molecules. The inputs for glycolysis are glucose and two molecules of ATP, while the products are two molecules of pyruvate, two molecules of NADH, and four molecules of ATP (net gain of two ATP).
The formation of acetylCoA is the second step, which occurs when each pyruvate molecule loses a carbon dioxide molecule and combines with coenzyme A to form acetylCoA. The inputs for this step are two molecules of pyruvate, and the products are two molecules of acetylCoA, two molecules of NADH, and two molecules of carbon dioxide.
The Krebs cycle, also known as the citric acid cycle, is the third step. AcetylCoA enters the Krebs cycle and combines with oxaloacetate to form citrate. Through a series of reactions, citrate is eventually converted back into oxaloacetate, generating three molecules of NADH, one molecule of FADH2, and one molecule of ATP per cycle. The inputs for this step are two molecules of acetylCoA, and the products are six molecules of NADH, two molecules of FADH2, two molecules of ATP, and four molecules of carbon dioxide.
The electron transport chain is the final step of metabolism, where the NADH and FADH2 molecules from earlier steps donate their electrons. These electrons pass through a series of protein complexes, generating a proton gradient that is eventually used to generate ATP through oxidative phosphorylation. The inputs for this step are NADH and FADH2, and the products are ATP and water.