Final answer:
Glycolysis is a metabolic pathway that converts glucose into two pyruvate molecules, with a net gain of two ATPs and the generation of two NADH molecules. About 10 percent of the original energy in glucose is stored in the pyruvate molecules at the end of glycolysis. The correct answer is Option A) Percentage, ATP.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct pairing that aligns with the statement regarding the chemical energy locked in the bonds of the pyruvic acid molecule at the end of glycolysis is:
A) Percentage, ATP
At the end of glycolysis, approximately 10 percent of the chemical energy originally present in glucose is captured or conserved in the bonds of the pyruvic acid (or pyruvate) molecules as ATP (adenosine triphosphate). This conversion occurs through various steps in glycolysis where ATP is generated by substrate-level phosphorylation. While the remaining energy is stored in the form of pyruvate, a small fraction is directly harvested in the form of ATP, which is a crucial energy carrier utilized in cellular processes.