Question

During strenuous exercise, anaerobic conditions can result if the cardiovascular system cannot supply oxygen fast enough to meet the demands of muscle cells. Assume that a muscle cell’s demand for ATP under anaerobic conditions remains the same as it was under aerobic conditions. What would happen to the cell’s rate of glucose utilization? View Available Hint(s) What would happen to the cell’s rate of glucose utilization? Glucose utilization would increase a lot. Glucose utilization would increase a little. Glucose utilization would remain the same. Glucose utilization would decrease a little. Glucose utilization would decrease a lot.

Answer 1

Under anaerobic conditions, if muscle cells need to maintain the same ATP levels as aerobic conditions, the rate of glucose utilization would dramatically increase due to the lower efficiency of anaerobic glycolysis compared to aerobic respiration.

Step-by-step explanation:

During strenuous exercise, if anaerobic conditions are created due to insufficient oxygen delivery, muscle cells will shift toward anaerobic glycolysis to meet their ATP demands. As aerobic respiration is more efficient and generates approximately 36 ATP per molecule of glucose, and anaerobic glycolysis only produces 2 ATP per glucose molecule, the cell's rate of glucose utilization would need to increase significantly to maintain the same ATP levels as under aerobic conditions.

Therefore, if a muscle cell's demand for ATP remains the same when shifting from aerobic to anaerobic conditions, its glucose utilization would increase substantially. This is because anaerobic glycolysis is less efficient at producing ATP than aerobic respiration. To sustain the energy demand, muscle cells will metabolize much more glucose to generate the required ATP, even though the end product, lactic acid, may contribute to muscle fatigue.

Answer 2

Answer: glucose utilization would increase a little in proportional to that required by a body to make ATP as a result of low oxygen supply