Question

A wild duck needs a steady supply of energy to be able to fly for hours. Domesticated chickens rarely fly. As a result you would expect to find _____ in the breast muscles of wild ducks than domesticated chickens.

a. less cytoplasm
b. more mitochondria
c. fewer mitochondria
d. more cytoplasm
e. more Golgi

Answer 1

The breast muscles of wild ducks would have more mitochondria compared to those of domesticated chickens since mitochondria provide the energy needed for their extended periods of flight.

Step-by-step explanation:

A wild duck that flies for extensive periods requires a high metabolic rate to maintain such energy-intensive activities. Their breast muscles are rich in mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cell, which provide the necessary ATP for muscle contraction during flight. Domesticated chickens, on the other hand, seldom fly and therefore their breast muscles would be expected to have fewer mitochondria compared to wild ducks.

In essence, flight muscles in birds like ducks, which actively fly, are well-adapted to their lifestyle. These muscles harbor more mitochondria to meet the high energy and oxygen demands of flight. This contrasts with domesticated chickens, where such a high concentration of mitochondria is unnecessary due to their limited flying ability.