Final answer:
The option with the highest amount of stored chemical energy is 1 molecule of glucose, a simple carbohydrate that stores energy in a stable and concentrated form.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks which of the given options, each containing 6 carbon atoms, has the highest amount of stored chemical energy.
The options include 6 molecules of CO2, 2 molecules of pyruvate, 2 molecules of lactic acid, and 1 molecule of glucose.
The molecule with the most potential energy is glucose.
Glucose is a simple carbohydrate with the chemical formula C6H12O6 and stores energy in a stable and concentrated form.
During cellular respiration, cells extract energy from the bonds of glucose, and the extracted energy is stored in the form of ATP.
In comparison, CO2 is a fully oxidized form of carbon, so it has the least stored energy, while pyruvate and lactic acid have less potential energy than glucose but more than CO2.