How is respiration an unbalanced equation?

Question

The equation for respiration is C₆H₁₂O₆+6O₂→6CO₂+6H₂O+36ATP. The chemical formula for ATP is C₁₀H₁₆N₅O₁₃P₃. How is this possible, since it violates the law of conservation of mass because it is unbalanced?

Answer 1

In the conversion of glucose and oxygen, energy is released when bonds are broken. That energy is harnessed to convert ADP into ATP. when they say 36 ATP molecules are formed, those ATP molecules don't come from nowhere. They were ADP and some were NAD+ while one molecule was FAD+. But through glycolysis and the Kreb's cycle, the glucose molecule was combined with oxygen through a series of steps (called glycolysis and Kreb's cycle) to form 36ATP. What you have in your question is the shorthand. It is important to know that ATP is formed through Krebs cycle and glycolysis.

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