Metabolism encompasses all of the chemical reactions that occur within living organisms to maintain life. It can be broadly divided into two categories: catabolism, which involves the breakdown of molecules to extract energy, and anabolism, which involves the synthesis of compounds necessary for cell function.
In aerobic respiration, glucose is oxidized to produce ATP, the energy currency of the cell. During this process, various metabolic pathways are involved, notably glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation.
Which of the following pathways produces the most ATP per molecule of glucose metabolized through complete aerobic respiration?