Question

The average amount of energy released for one task in the cell is 30.5 kJ/mol. How does the energy required for one job compare to the amount stored in the fatty acid chain/glucose?

a) The energy required for one job is less than the amount stored in the fatty acid chain/glucose.
b) The energy required for one job is greater than the amount stored in the fatty acid chain/glucose.
c) The energy required for one job is equal to the amount stored in the fatty acid chain/glucose.
d) The energy required for one job depends on various factors and cannot be compared directly.

Answer 1

The energy required for one job is greater than the amount stored in the fatty acid chain/glucose.

Step-by-step explanation:

The average amount of energy released for one task in the cell is 30.5 kJ/mol. This energy is stored in ATP molecules. One mole of glucose produces about 36-38 moles of ATP, while one mole of fatty acid, like stearic acid, produces 120 moles of ATP. When converted to moles of ATP per unit mass, stearic acid produces about 0.42 mol ATP/g, which is significantly higher than the 0.18 mol ATP/g of glucose.

Therefore, the energy required for one job is greater than the amount stored in the fatty acid chain/glucose.