Which step in cellular respiration produces the most ATP?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The third step in cellular respiration, the electron transport chain, produces the most energy: 28 to 32 molecules of ATP.
Cellular respiration is a set of metabolic reactions and processes that take place in the cell to convert biochemical energy from nutrients (glucose) into ATP (energy). Cellular respiration occurs in three steps:
1. Glycolysis: The first step is the conversion of glucose to pyruvate. This step takes place in the cytosol (the jelly-like substance in the cytoplasm of the cell) and produces two molecules of ATP, two molecules of pyruvate, and two molecules of NADH.
2. The Krebs Cycle: The Krebs cycle is also known as the citric acid cycle. In this step, the pyruvate created during glycolysis is transported to the mitochondrion where it is used in a series of reactions. Two ATP molecules, six carbon dioxide molecules, and six NADH molecules are produced.
3. Electron transport chain: The third step oxidizes NADH molecules to produce oxygen and water. The electron transport chain produces the most energy: 28 to 32 molecules of ATP.
The Calvin cycle is the second stage of photosynthesis when the molecules produced by light reactions are used to produce sugar.

Which Step in Cellular Respiration Produces the Most ATP