Question

In a process known as oxidative phosphorylation, every NADH that is formed in carrying out oxidation reactions in the early stages of catabolism is converted into?

1) ATP
2) ADP
3) NaD⁺
4) NADPH

Answer 1

Oxidative phosphorylation is the process where NADH, formed in earlier stages of catabolism, is used to convert ADP into ATP through a chain of redox reactions involving the electron transport chain and chemiosmosis in mitochondria.

Step-by-step explanation:

In oxidative phosphorylation, the NADH that is formed during the early stages of catabolism is converted into ATP. Oxidative phosphorylation involves the transfer of electrons from NADH and FADH2 through a series of enzymes in the mitochondrial inner membrane. The final acceptance of electrons is by oxygen, which then reduces to water. The energy released from these oxidation reactions is then used to phosphorylate ADP into ATP, the main energy currency of the cell.

The electron transport chain and the process of chemiosmosis play crucial roles in this phase of catabolism. As electrons move through the chain, a proton gradient is established across the inner mitochondrial membrane, driving the synthesis of ATP from ADP. This entire process is highly efficient at extracting energy stored in food, making ATP production its crucial result.