Maximum ATP yield during aerobic respiration

This table shows the maximum ATP yield during aerobic cellular respiration:

A table showing the maximum yield of ATP during aerobic respiration. The table indicates when each of the 38 potential ATP are produced during aerobic respiration. The columns are labelled step in respiration, carbon flow, substrate-level phosphorylation, oxidative phosphorylation, and ATP maximum yield. First step: glycolysis. Carbon flow: Glucose, 6 carbon, to 2 pyruvates, 3 carbon each. From substrate level phosphorylation: 2 ATP produced. From oxidative phosphorylation: 6 ATP produced from 2 NADH. Maximum ATP yield from glycolysis: 8 ATP. Next step: transition reaction. Carbon flow: 2 pyruvate, 3 carbon each, to 2 acetyl of 2 carbon each. 2 carbon released as carbon dioxide. From substrate-level phosphorylation: no ATP produced. From oxidative phosphorylation: 6 ATP produced from 2 NADH. Maximum ATP yield from transition reaction: 6 ATP. Next step: Krebs cycle. Carbon flow: 2 acetyl of 2 carbon each, to 4 carbon dioxide molecules. From substrate-level phosphorylation: 2 ATP produced. From oxidative phosphorylation: 18 ATP from 6 NADH plus 4 ATP from 2 FADH2. Maximum ATP yield from Krebs cycle: 24 ATP. Final row: total summary. Carbon flow: 6 glucose to 6 carbon dioxide. From substrate level phosphorylation, 4 ATP produced. From oxidative phosphorylation: 34 ATP produced from 12 NADH and 2 FADH2. Maximum total ATP yield: 38 ATP.