How many moles of ATP are produced by the complete oxidation of 1 mol of myristic acid?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the chemical formula of myristic acid, which is C14H28O2.
2. Determine the number of carbon atoms in myristic acid, which is 14.
3. Use the general formula for the oxidation of fatty acids: C_nH_{2n}O_2 + (1.5n - 0.5)O_2 -> nCO_2 + nH_2O.
4. Calculate the number of acetyl-CoA units produced from myristic acid: 14/2 = 7 acetyl-CoA units.
5. Each acetyl-CoA enters the citric acid cycle, producing 10 ATP per cycle, and the initial activation of myristic acid requires 2 ATP, so calculate the total ATP produced.

Key Concepts

Fatty Acid Oxidation

Fatty acid oxidation is the metabolic process by which fatty acids are broken down in the mitochondria to generate energy. This process involves the conversion of fatty acids into acetyl-CoA through beta-oxidation, which then enters the citric acid cycle, ultimately leading to the production of ATP. Understanding this process is crucial for determining the energy yield from specific fatty acids like myristic acid.

ATP Yield from Myristic Acid

Myristic acid is a saturated fatty acid with 14 carbon atoms. The complete oxidation of myristic acid through beta-oxidation and subsequent metabolic pathways results in a specific number of ATP molecules. Each cycle of beta-oxidation produces one molecule of acetyl-CoA, which can generate ATP in the citric acid cycle, making it essential to calculate the total ATP yield from its complete oxidation.

Stoichiometry of Cellular Respiration

Stoichiometry in cellular respiration refers to the quantitative relationships between reactants and products in metabolic pathways. In the context of ATP production from fatty acids, it involves understanding how many ATP molecules are produced per mole of acetyl-CoA and the total number of acetyl-CoA generated from the fatty acid. This concept is vital for accurately calculating the total ATP yield from the oxidation of myristic acid.