Final answer:
The number of ATP produced through fatty acid oxidation depends on the size of the fatty acid. Each 3-oxidation cycle of a fatty acid yields one FADH₂ (1.5 ATP), one NADH (2.5 ATP), and one acetyl-CoA (10 ATP). The total ATP produced per fatty acid containing n carbon atoms is ((0.5 × n - 1) × 14) + 10 - 2.
Step-by-step explanation:
The number of ATP produced through fatty acid oxidation depends on the size of the fatty acid. For a fatty acid containing 'n' carbon atoms, the formula for the number of ATP's produced per fatty acid is ((0.5 × n - 1) × 14). Each 3-oxidation cycle of a fatty acid yields one FADH₂ (1.5 ATP), one NADH (2.5 ATP), and one acetyl-CoA (10 ATP). Additionally, the last cycle yields two acetyl-CoA (20 ATP) and consumes 2 ATP in the activation step. So, the total ATP produced per fatty acid containing n carbon atoms is ((0.5 × n - 1) × 14) + 10 - 2.