Final answer:
When glucose is completely oxidized by all the pathways of aerobic cellular respiration, a total of 36-38 ATP are generated.
Step-by-step explanation:
When glucose is completely oxidized by all the pathways of aerobic cellular respiration, a total of 36-38 ATP are generated. The complete aerobic respiration of glucose involves different stages, including glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation.
In glycolysis, 2 ATP molecules are produced. In the Krebs cycle, 2 ATP molecules are also produced. However, the majority of ATP is generated through oxidative phosphorylation, where the passage of electrons from NADH and FADH₂ molecules generates enough energy to yield up to 32 ATPs.
Thus, the theoretical maximum yield of ATP made during the aerobic respiration of glucose is 38 molecules, but in reality, the total ATP yield can range from one to 34 ATP molecules depending on the cell's conditions and energy requirements.