Living cells \"pump\" singly ionized sodium ions, Na+, from the inside of the ce

Question

Living cells "pump" singly ionized sodium ions, Na+, from the inside of the cell to the outside to maintain a membrane potential ?Vmembrane=Vin?Vout= -65mV It is calledpumping because work must be done to move a positive ion from the negative inside of the cell to the positive outside, and it must go on continuously because sodium ions "leak" back through the cell wall by diffusion.

a.)How much work must be done to move one sodium ion from the inside of the cell to the outside?

b.) At rest, the human body uses energy at the rate of approximately 97W to maintain basic metabolic functions. It has been estimated that 22{ m \%} of this energy is used to operate the sodium pumps of the body. Estimate?to one significant figure?the number of sodium ions pumped per second.

Explanation / Answer

part a)

W=(Vout-Vin)e=65*e

part b)

power is equal to work done per unit time

P=W1/t

let no of sodium ions be n

22%P=nW

n=22%/W

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