Question

living organisms display the property of metabolism, which is a general term to describe the processes carried out to acquire and use energy. we know that people need to eat, and in our foods are various kinds of nutrients that our cells use. one large group of nutrients in our foods is carbohydrates, which supply our cells with glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆). so the question is: how does the food we chew and swallow fuel our cells?

Answer 1

The food we ingest is metabolized during digestion into glucose, which is then used in cellular respiration to produce ATP, the energy currency of cells. This process involves the reaction of glucose with oxygen to generate energy required for various cellular functions, while producing carbon dioxide and water as by-products.

Step-by-step explanation:

How Does the Food We Chew and Swallow Fuel Our Cells?

The energy required by our cells is derived from the metabolism of nutrients, largely carbohydrates. Through the process of cellular respiration, glucose from carbohydrates is broken down to provide energy. Initially, the complex carbohydrates in foods are digested into simple sugars, primarily glucose. This glucose is then used in cellular respiration to produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is the energy currency of the cell. The equation for this process is:

C6H12O6 + 6O2 → 6CO2 + 6H2O + energy (ATP)

During cellular respiration, the consumed glucose reacts with oxygen, undergoing a series of reactions that result in the production of carbon dioxide and water as waste products, while energy is released for the cell to use. Bioenergetics describes this flow of energy through living systems, ensuring that cells have the needed energy to perform tasks vital for survival, such as synthesis and transport of molecules, and export of wastes. The cell uses this energy for various functions, including maintaining internal conditions (homeostasis), growth, and other life processes.

Moreover, the cell's ability to transform energy is divided into two categories: anabolism, the synthesis of cellular components, and catabolism, the decomposition of organic matter. Both processes are integral to the cell's metabolism and contribute to the overall energy needs of living organisms.