During cellular respiration, a single molecule of glucose can generate a maximum of 36-38 molecules of ATP in the mitochondria. This energy production occurs through the combined processes of glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation.
Specifically, glycolysis generates a net of 2 ATP molecules, the Krebs cycle produces 2 ATP molecules, and oxidative phosphorylation, which includes the electron transport chain and chemiosmosis, can generate approximately 32-34 ATP molecules. However, the exact number of ATP molecules produced can vary slightly depending on the efficiency of the electron transport chain and other factors.
So, on average, one molecule of glucose can yield approximately 36-38 molecules of ATP during cellular respiration in the mitochondria.