How the mitochondria produces ATP in steps
The production of ATP is called the process of cellular respiration. Cellular respiration is the process that releases energy in the form of glucose. Here are three steps before the ATP is created in the mitochondria. The first step is called Glycolysis. Then there is The Krebs Cycle and last there is the Electron Transport Chain before ATP is created.
Glycolysis
This part of the process of cellular respiration is where all the glucose is broken down and turned into two, three carbon molecules called pyruvate molecules. This takes place in the cytoplasm. For the glycolysis to work, it needs two ATP molecules and then in the end it generates four ATP molecules, so two it gains two more ATP molecules. It also produces two pyruvate molecules and two NADH, the pyruvate molecules are molecules that are rich in carbon and the NADH is a high energy molecule used to produce more ATP. The process of cellular respiration needs oxygen for it to work but, not in all the phases. The process of fermentation is when there is no oxygen in the cell and it needs NADH for the glycolysis to keep working.
The Krebs Cycle
This is the next part of the production of ATP! In this process of The Krebs Cycle, it finally completes the breakdown of glucose, which was originally started by the process of Glycolysis. It takes the two, three carbon pyruvate molecules or the outcome of glycolysis and then recreates the pyruvate molecules into an additional amount of two ATP molecules per each glucose. The Krebs Cycle is an aerobic process. Meaning it requires oxygen to work. The Krebs Cycle occurs in the matrix part of the mitochondria. How it works is at first one of the pyruvate molecules are oxygenated and then there is two pyruvates left. This then causes the two pyruvate molecules to create two more NADH for further ATP production.
Glycolysis
This part of the process of cellular respiration is where all the glucose is broken down and turned into two, three carbon molecules called pyruvate molecules. This takes place in the cytoplasm. For the glycolysis to work, it needs two ATP molecules and then in the end it generates four ATP molecules, so two it gains two more ATP molecules. It also produces two pyruvate molecules and two NADH, the pyruvate molecules are molecules that are rich in carbon and the NADH is a high energy molecule used to produce more ATP. The process of cellular respiration needs oxygen for it to work but, not in all the phases. The process of fermentation is when there is no oxygen in the cell and it needs NADH for the glycolysis to keep working.
The Krebs Cycle
This is the next part of the production of ATP! In this process of The Krebs Cycle, it finally completes the breakdown of glucose, which was originally started by the process of Glycolysis. It takes the two, three carbon pyruvate molecules or the outcome of glycolysis and then recreates the pyruvate molecules into an additional amount of two ATP molecules per each glucose. The Krebs Cycle is an aerobic process. Meaning it requires oxygen to work. The Krebs Cycle occurs in the matrix part of the mitochondria. How it works is at first one of the pyruvate molecules are oxygenated and then there is two pyruvates left. This then causes the two pyruvate molecules to create two more NADH for further ATP production.
Electron Transport Chain
Lastly, there is the Electron Transport Chain process. This is the process that make the majority of the ATP or adenosine triphosphate. The Electron Transport Chain takes place in the inter membrane space of the mitochondria. This process can only function if there is oxygen available. The simplest way to understand this, is that it basically moves the electrons from high energy to low energy. In the end, this process can produce up to 32-34 ATP molecules from one glucose molecule. If you add all the ATP molecules that were created in the cellular respiration, it would be around 38 ATP molecules per glucose.
Lastly, there is the Electron Transport Chain process. This is the process that make the majority of the ATP or adenosine triphosphate. The Electron Transport Chain takes place in the inter membrane space of the mitochondria. This process can only function if there is oxygen available. The simplest way to understand this, is that it basically moves the electrons from high energy to low energy. In the end, this process can produce up to 32-34 ATP molecules from one glucose molecule. If you add all the ATP molecules that were created in the cellular respiration, it would be around 38 ATP molecules per glucose.
This is an video that shows how ATP is produced from all the processes.
