The following question is offered in anticipation of our chapters on metabolism:
ID: 950163 • Letter: T
Question
The following question is offered in anticipation of our chapters on metabolism: Assuming that the average weight of an adult is 154 lbs, how many molecules arrive each second at a mitochondrion of an average active person? Assume that oxygen consumption is 49 mL per minute per kilogram of body weight, adults have about 1 × 1012 cells, and there are 800. mitochondria per cell. Assume that one pound equals 0.454 kg, and that oxygen gas occupies 22.4 L per mol. Report your answer to the nearest ones.
Explanation / Answer
As average weight of an adult is = 154 lbs
or, = 154x0.454
= 69.9 kg
oxygen consumption on average = 49 mL/min/kg
for an adult oxygen consumption per second comes out to be = 49x69.9x60 mL/sec
= 205553.04 mL/sec
= 205.55 L/sec
Now, this oxygen gets divided into all the mitocondrion present in the body. i.e.
total number of mitocondrion= 1x1012x800
= 800x1012
Hence amount of oxygen arriving in each mitocondrion is = 205.55/(800x1012) = 2.56x10-13 L/sec
as each mole contains 22.4 L , hence number of moles arriving in each mitocondrion is = [2.56x10-13/22.4]
= 1.14x10-14 mol/sec
as each mole contains avogadro number of molecules/atoms. i.e 6.023x1023
Hence number of molecules arriving each mitocondrion per second = 1.14x10-14x6.023x1023 = 6.86x109 molecules
Note: The number of cells for adults should be 1x1012 instead of 1x1012. The answer is calculated taking 1x1012.
Hence number of molecules came out to be nearly 7 billion.
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