Do you expect the cell to produce more ATP from one glucose

Do you expect the cell to produce more ATP from one glucose molecule or from one fatty acid molecule? Explain your answer.

Solution

The number of ATP produced depends on the number of NADH and FADH2 generated in the citric acid cycle. These NADH and FADH2 depens on number of Acetyl CoA generated. One glucose gives two acetyl CoA, and one fat molecule has three fatty acid chains, and each chain gives three acetyl CoA molecules, so it would generate nine acetyl CoA in total. Thus more ATP will generate from one fatty acid molecule rather than one glucose molecule.