University Of Central Florida (UCF) BSC2010C Biology I Practice Exam 2

What is the typical yield of ATP per FADH molecule during cellular respiration?

2 ATP 3 ATP 4 ATP 1 ATP

Correct Answer:

2 ATP

Explanation:

In cellular respiration, FADH2 contributes to the production of ATP during oxidative phosphorylation in the electron transport chain. When FADH2 is oxidized, it generates enough energy to produce approximately 1.5 ATP molecules in eukaryotic cells, but in some contexts, this is often rounded to 2 ATP in introductory biology courses for simplicity. This value reflects the energy yield associated with the transfer of electrons from FADH2 through the electron transport chain, which does not pump as many protons as NADH does, leading to a lower ATP yield. Overall, the reason why 2 ATP is considered the typical yield from one FADH2 molecule is based on the functional role it plays in the electron transport chain and the subsequent proton motive force utilized for ATP synthesis.

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