In the oxidation of pyruvate to acetyl coa, one carbon atom is released as co₂. however, the oxidation of the remaining two carbon atoms—in acetate—to co₂ requires a complex, eight-step pathway—the citric acid cycle. consider four possible explanations for why the last two carbons in acetate are converted to co₂ in a complex cyclic pathway rather than through a simple, linear reaction. use your knowledge of the first three stages of cellular respiration to determine which explanation is correct. a. more atp is produced per co₂ released in cyclic processes than in linear processes. b. it is easier to remove electrons and produce co₂ from compounds with three or more carbon atoms than from a two-carbon compound such as acetyl coa. c. redox reactions that simultaneously produce co₂ and nadh occur only in cyclic processes. d. cyclic processes, such as the citric acid cycle, require a different mechanism of atp synthesis than linear processes, such as glycolysis.