[Campbell Biology P.234] Which statement accurately compares the ATP yield of fermentation a... | Practice Question

Which statement accurately compares the ATP yield of fermentation and anaerobic respiration?

  • A: Both processes yield the same amount of ATP because neither uses oxygen.
  • B: Anaerobic respiration typically yields significantly more ATP than fermentation.
  • C: Fermentation yields more ATP than anaerobic respiration because it regenerates NAD+ faster.
  • D: The ATP yield depends on the type of fermentation, but is always less than anaerobic respiration.

Explanation

Anaerobic respiration involves an electron transport chain with a final electron acceptor other than oxygen, which allows for a significantly higher ATP yield compared to fermentation. Fermentation produces ATP only via glycolysis 2 ATP per glucose molecule through substrate-level phosphorylation, regenerating NAD+ without an electron transport chain.