Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Intermediate Practice Exam

What is the metabolic conversion of glucose into energy called?

1. Glycolysis

2. Glycogenesis

3. Gluconeogenesis

4. Cellular respiration

The correct answer is: Glycolysis

The metabolic conversion of glucose into energy is known as glycolysis. This is a fundamental biochemical process that occurs in the cytoplasm of cells, where one molecule of glucose (a six-carbon sugar) is broken down into two molecules of pyruvate (a three-carbon compound). During glycolysis, a series of enzymatic reactions yields a net production of two molecules of ATP, which serve as energy currency for the cell, as well as two molecules of NADH, which are used in further energy-producing pathways. In the larger context of cellular metabolism, glycolysis is the first step in the process of obtaining energy from glucose. It does not require oxygen, hence it is classified as an anaerobic process. Following glycolysis, if oxygen is present, the pyruvate can enter the mitochondria for further breakdown through the Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, which significantly increases the ATP yield. Other terms related to glucose metabolism, like glycogenesis and gluconeogenesis, refer to the synthesis and conversion processes involving glucose, but are not primarily about the energy production from glucose itself. Glycogenesis is the formation of glycogen from glucose molecules, while gluconeogenesis is the synthesis of glucose from non-carbohydrate substrates. Cellular respiration encompasses the complete suite of