Table 1.

A multiple-choice question developed to assess students’ ability to follow matter during cellular respiration.

	You have a friend who lost 15 pounds of fat on a diet. Where did the mass go?
A.	The mass was released as CO2and H2O.	44%
B.	The mass was converted into energy and used up.	23%
C.	The mass was converted into ATP molecules.	21%
D.	The mass was broken down into amino acids and eliminated from the body.	9%
E.	The mass was converted to urine and feces and eliminated from the body.	3%

Correct answer (A) is in bold font. Each distracter (B–E) represents a common student misconception. Percent of students (n = 459) selecting each answer is shown on the right.