Which of the Following Produces the Largest Number of Reducing

Question

Which of the following produces the largest number of reducing equivalents when oxidized?
A) Glucose
B) NADPH
C) NADH
D) Palmitic acid
E) A hydrogen atom

Accepted Answer

Palmitic acid, when fully oxidized, produces a significantly larger number of reducing equivalents (NADH and FADH2) compared to the other options. Specifically, the complete oxidation of palmitic acid yields 106 ATP molecules, which is indicative of a high number of reducing equivalents generated through the process of beta-oxidation and subsequent entry into the citric acid cycle and electron transport chain.