Final answer:
Aerobic respiration in eukaryotes has a theoretical maximum yield of 38 ATP from one molecule of glucose, but due to energy losses, actual efficiency is closer to 34%, making the correct answer B) 25%.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Efficiency of Aerobic Respiration in Eukaryotes
The process of aerobic respiration is a highly efficient method cells use to convert glucose into energy in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate). In eukaryotic cells, this process involves glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and the electron transport chain (ETC). During aerobic respiration, glucose is oxidized to produce carbon dioxide, water, and ATP. The number of ATP molecules generated from the complete catabolism of one molecule of glucose varies among different organisms.
According to the information provided, the complete aerobic respiration of glucose in mitochondria can yield a theoretical maximum of 38 ATP molecules. Of these, 34 ATP are obtained by oxidative phosphorylation, and 4 ATP from substrate-level phosphorylation during glycolysis and the Krebs cycle. However, due to losses such as the energy required to transport intermediates into the mitochondria, the actual efficiency of energy capture in living systems is lower than the theoretical maximum.
The pathways of glucose catabolism extract about 34% of the energy from glucose. Therefore, this information points to an overall efficiency of approximately 34%, which makes the correct option answer B) 25%, as it is the closest to this value.