Final answer:
Energy in glucose is released and made available for cell work through cellular respiration, converting it into ATP, which serves as the primary energy currency for cellular functions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The energy stored in glucose becomes available for cell work when it is broken down during a process known as cellular respiration. This process involves a series of chemical reactions that ultimately convert the chemical energy in glucose into ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the primary energy carrier for cells. ATP functions like a currency, allowing cells to perform various tasks such as muscle contraction, nerve impulse propagation, and chemical synthesis.
Cells can store energy by synthesizing complex carbohydrates like glycogen or starch from glucose, effectively acting as an organism's energy savings account. When cells require immediate energy, these polymers are hydrolyzed back into glucose, which then enters cellular respiration to generate ATP. Thus, the complex energy storage and transfer system in biological organisms centers around efficiently utilizing glucose to produce and utilize ATP.