Question

In our skeletal muscle cells, if oxygen (O₂) is not available to the cell, the cell can break down glucose to produce ATP using the lactic acid fermentation pathway. Since this glucose metabolism does not use oxygen this process is ______________ and the ATP produced are the ATP produced in glycolysis. Consequenly, there is a total of __________ ATP produced using the lactic acid fermentation pathway.

a. anaerobic; 30
b. aerobic; 2
c. aerobic; 30
d. anaerobic; 2

Answer 1

In the absence of oxygen, skeletal muscle cells use the anaerobic process of lactic acid fermentation to produce a total of 2 ATP from glucose through glycolysis.

Step-by-step explanation:

When oxygen is limited or absent in skeletal muscle cells, the cells can break down glucose to produce ATP using the lactic acid fermentation pathway. Since this glucose metabolism does not use oxygen, this process is anaerobic, and the ATP produced are those produced in glycolysis. Consequently, there is a total of 2 ATP produced using the lactic acid fermentation pathway. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is option d, anaerobic; 2.