What are the three metabolic pathways and explained?

The three primary metabolic pathways are glycolysis, the citric acid cycle (Krebs cycle), and oxidative phosphorylation. Glycolysis occurs in the cytoplasm, breaking down glucose into pyruvate while generating ATP and NADH. The citric acid cycle takes place in the mitochondria, where acetyl-CoA is oxidized, producing more NADH and FADH2, along with ATP. Oxidative phosphorylation, also in the mitochondria, uses the electrons from NADH and FADH2 to generate ATP through the electron transport chain and chemiOSmosis, utilizing oxygen as the final electron acceptor.