In the oxidation of pyruvate to acetyl CoA, one carbon atom is released as CO2. However, the oxidation of the remaining two carbon atomsÑin acetateÑto CO2 requires a complex, eight-step pathwayÑthe 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. More ATP is produced per CO2 released in cyclic processes than in linear processes. 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. Redox reactions that simultaneously produce CO2 and NADH occur only in cyclic processes. Cyclic processes, such as the citric acid cycle, require a different mechanism of ATP synthesis than linear processes, such as glycolysis.