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Q. During complete metabolism of glucose, the number of $ATP$ formed is

Respiration in Plants

Solution:

There is gain of $2\, ATP$ molecules during glycolysis and $2\, ATP\, (GTP)$ molecules during double Krebs cycle. A total of $10\, NADH_2$ and $2 \,FADH_2$ molecules are formed in aerobic respiration. Thus, the net gain from complete oxidation of a molecule of glucose in muscle and nerve cells is $36\, ATP$ molecules ($10\, NADH_2 = 30\, ATP$, $2 \,FADH_2 = 4\, ATP$, four formed by substrate level phosphorylation in glycolysis and Krebs' cycle and two consumed in transport of the $NADH_2$ molecules into mitochondria). In aerobic prokaryotes, heart, liver and kidneys, $38\, ATP$ molecules are produced per glucose molecule oxidised. Passage of $ATP$ molecules from inside of mitochondria to cytoplasm is through facilitated diffusion.
Thus, there is a net gain of $36$ or $38 \,ATP$ molecules depending upon type of aerobic respiration.
[Note : $1\, NADH_2 = 3ATP$ and $1\, FADH_2 = 2ATP$].