38 ATP is produced and 2 ATP is utilised. net ATP produced is 36 in the oxidation of one mole of glucose

The correct answer is option C - 38 ATP molecules are produced by the aerobic oxidation of one molecule of glucose.

Explanation:
Aerobic oxidation of glucose occurs in several steps through a series of interconnected metabolic pathways, such as glycolysis, the citric acid cycle (also known as the Krebs cycle), and the electron transport chain (ETC). Each of these steps contributes to the production of ATP molecules.

1. Glycolysis:
Glycolysis is the first stage of glucose metabolism, which takes place in the cytoplasm. In this process, glucose is converted into two molecules of pyruvate. During glycolysis, a net gain of 2 ATP molecules is produced.

2. Pyruvate Decarboxylation:
In the presence of oxygen, each pyruvate molecule is transported into the mitochondria, where it undergoes decarboxylation to form acetyl-CoA. This step does not directly produce ATP, but it is a crucial intermediate step in the citric acid cycle.

3. Citric Acid Cycle:
The acetyl-CoA produced from pyruvate decarboxylation enters the citric acid cycle. This cycle occurs in the mitochondrial matrix and involves a series of enzymatic reactions that release energy in the form of reduced coenzymes (NADH and FADH2) and ATP. For each molecule of glucose, the citric acid cycle produces 2 ATP molecules.

4. Electron Transport Chain (ETC):
The reduced coenzymes (NADH and FADH2) from the previous steps enter the electron transport chain, which is located on the inner mitochondrial membrane. The ETC consists of a series of protein complexes that transfer electrons and generate a proton gradient across the membrane. This proton gradient is then used by ATP synthase to produce ATP through oxidative phosphorylation.

The exact number of ATP molecules produced through the ETC varies depending on the specific conditions and organism. On average, the complete oxidation of one molecule of glucose generates approximately 34 ATP molecules through the ETC.

In addition to the ATP produced directly, there is also a small amount of ATP generated during glycolysis through substrate-level phosphorylation. This contributes an additional 2 ATP molecules, bringing the total to 38 ATP molecules produced by the aerobic oxidation of one molecule of glucose.

Therefore, the correct answer is option C - 38 ATP molecules.