How Cellular Respiration Makes ATP

Cellular respiration makes ATP from glucose in several stages. The process usually produces 30 to 32 ATP per glucose molecule. Most of that ATP comes from oxidative phosphorylation and the electron transport chain, while 4 ATP are made earlier, with 2 from glycolysis and 2 from the citric acid cycle.

The complete oxidation of one glucose molecule yields 30 to 32 ATP molecules.

It starts with glycolysis yielding two ATPs and two NADHs, followed by the oxidation of pyruvate producing two NADHs.

Next, the citric acid cycle yields six NADHs, two FADH₂s, and two ATPs.

The NADH and FADH₂ molecules are oxi...