Question

- Pyruvic Acid enters the mitochondria and is acted upon by an enzyme that releases

and produces a 2 carbon compound called
. This 2 carbon compound now
enters the

Answer 1

The 2 carbon compound is called Acetyl CoA. Acetyl CoA now enters the citric acid cycle or the Krebs cycle.

Explanation: 2 molecules of pyruvic acid are the products of the enzymatic degradation of one molecule of glucose in a process known as glycolysis. Each molecule of Pyruvic acid (a 3 carbon molecule) is further degraded to a 2 carbon molecule called Acetyl CoA. Each molecule of Acetyl CoA then enters the citric acid cycle where it is used to produce 1 molecule of GTP, 3 molecules of NADH and 1 molecule of FADH2. NADH and FADH2 then enters the electron transport chain where they are used to generate ATP in a series of enzyme catalyzed reactions.