Tripalmitin is a fatty acid and the R.Q of fatty acids is around 0.7, therefore when it is used as a substrate in respiration the R.Q will be 0.7. Aerobic respiration involves both glycolysis and TCA cycle, therefore during aerobic respiration one glucose molecule will give a net gain of 36 ATP whereas during fermentation glucose is broken down into ethanol and lactic acid resulting in the formation of only 2 ATP molecules.

Pyruvic acid is the intermediate compound which links glycolysis with Kreb's cycle.