The following question is offered in anticipation of our chapters on metabolism:

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

V = 49 mL = 0.049 L

1 mol of oxygen occupies 22.4 L

then 0.049 L will have (0.049/22.4) = 0.00218 moles O2/min kg

(800 mitochondria/cell) × ((1 × 10^12 cells) / (154*0.454 kg)) = 1.144 × 10^13 mitochondria/kg

(0.00218 mol O2/min kg) / (60 sec/min) × (6.023 x 10^23 molecules/mol) /
(1.144 × 10^13 mitochondria/kg) = 1.9 x 10^8molecules/sec mitochrondrion ............. Answer

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