Glucose metabolism is a key reaction for obtaining energy in the body. Glucose,

Question

Glucose metabolism is a key reaction for obtaining energy in the body. Glucose, a carbohydrate, is oxidized to water and carbon dioxide in the reaction below. The combustion enthalpy, H, of glucose is 2.80 x 103 kJ/mol, which means that as glucose is oxidized, its electrons lose 2.80 x 103 kJ/mol as they give up potential energy through a complicated series of bioelectrochemical steps. C6H12O6(aq) + 6 O2(g) 6 CO2(g) + 6 H2O(l)

a. Assume that a person requires 2.000 x 103 nutritional Calories per day and that this energy is obtained solely from the oxidation of glucose. Calculate the number of moles of O2 a person must breathe each day to react with this much glucose.

b. Each mole of O2 requires 4 mol e-, regardless of whether the O atoms become part of CO2 or H2O. Determine the average electric current (C/s) in a human body using the quantity of energy described in part a. per day.

c. Use the answer from part b. and calculate the electrical potential this current flows through in a day to produce the 2.000 x 103 nutritional Calories.

Explanation / Answer

a) Number of calories required by the person = 2000 Calories

1 Cal = 4.184 J

Number of energy required in Joules = 8368 Joules

Number of moles of Glucose = 8368/(2800 * 10^3) = 2.98857 * 10^(-3) moles

Moles of O2 = 2.99857 * 10^(-3) * 6 = 1.793 * 10^(-2) moles

b) Q = I * t

=> 1.7932 * 10^(-2) * 4 * 24 * 60 * 60

=> 6197.27 C

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