After radioactive carbon was fed into the citric acid cycle, where might it be found?
ATP
NADH
Carbon Dioxide
Proton Gradient
After radioactive carbon is fed into the citric acid cycle, it can be found in the following places:
1. Carbon Dioxide: During the citric acid cycle, carbon atoms from acetyl-CoA are completely oxidized and released as carbon dioxide.
2. ATP: As the citric acid cycle progresses, high-energy electrons are captured and used to generate ATP through oxidative phosphorylation.
3. NADH: The citric acid cycle involves multiple redox reactions, and NADH is produced as a result of the reduction of NAD+ by high-energy electrons.
4. Proton Gradient: As part of oxidative phosphorylation, high-energy electrons from NADH are transported along the electron transport chain, generating a proton gradient across the inner mitochondrial membrane. This gradient is essential for ATP synthesis.