Which of the following are products of glycolysis?

Glycolysis is a crucial metabolic pathway that occurs in the cytoplasm of cells, where one molecule of glucose is broken down into two molecules of pyruvate. This process is anaerobic, meaning it does not require oxygen.

The primary products of glycolysis include two molecules of pyruvate, which can then enter the mitochondria for further processing in aerobic respiration. Additionally, glycolysis produces a net gain of two ATP molecules through substrate-level phosphorylation, which serves as a direct energy source for the cell. Lastly, the reduction of NAD+ to NADH occurs during glycolysis; this is essential for cellular respiration as NADH carries electrons to the electron transport chain.

When reviewing the incorrect options: glycolysis does not produce CO2; this byproduct is generated during the citric acid cycle that follows glycolysis. There are also no products like FADH2 or glucose from glycolysis; FADH2 is generated during the citric acid cycle, and glucose is the substrate that gets broken down. Lastly, Acetyl-CoA is produced from pyruvate before entering the citric acid cycle, and oxygen is not produced during glycolysis, as it is an anaerobic process.

This understanding of glycolysis highlights why the