In what stage of cellular respiration is most of the carbon dioxide produced?

1 Answer
May 13, 2017

The Krebs Cycle

Explanation:

The Krebs cycle or the TCA cycle produces #"2 "CO_2# for every #"1 molecule of acetyl CoA".#

This occurs in Step 3 and Step 4 of the Krebs cycle.

In Step 3, #color(orange)"isocitrate"# is oxidized to become #color(blue)"alpha-ketoglutarate"# by the rate-limiting enzyme, #color(red)"isocitrate dehydrogenase".#

In Step 4, #color(blue)"alpha-ketoglutarate"# undergoes a redox reaction, oxidizing to become #color(magenta)"succinyl-CoA"#, also releasing #CO_2# in the process.

Each step generates the coenzyme, #"NADH"#, an electron carrier which is going to be important in the next stage of cellular respiration, the electron transport chain.