Imagine that an extraterrestrial life-form has been recovered from a meteorite by a deep space probe that has a ravenous appetite for sand. Your job is to come up with a preliminary analysis of its bioenergetic pathway. On close examination you note that the biochemical pathway employed by this creature has some features in common with your own. You note that the alien has a basic cellular structure similar to that of Earth-based creatures. It has what you would consider to be a cytoplasm, nucleus, and other basic organelles. In addition, the creature appears to be capable of using oxygen in the course of its metabolism. Following a rigorous biochemical analysis, you note the following points:
A glycolysis like process begins with the alien's basic food stuff of sand particles. Specifically, the first molecule in the pathway contains 126 silicon atoms (Si126).
In the process of metabolizing the Si126, you note that the creature uses up 55 energy- carrying molecules that you have named ZTP (since it is an unknown triphosphate-bearing molecule that gives the creature 'zip') in converting the Si126to 7 molecules of Si 18. Also, in the process of breaking down one molecule of Si126, 10 molecules of an electron-carrying substance you have called EADH are formed.
Each Si18 molecule is broken into two molecule with the creation of 9 ZTP molecules and 10 EADH molecules. Each molecule of Si18 gives off 4 SiO2 molecules in this step (Si 7 left).
Each Si7 goes through a cyclic process in an organelle similar in structure to our own mitochondrion in which the Si7 is completely oxidized to SiO2. In the process, 5 ZTP, 5 EADH, and 10 EADH2 are released.
Each molecule of EADH is converted to 10 ZTP, and each molecule of EADH2 is converted to 5 ZTP.
(NOTE: Each EADH formed in step (b) is converted to two molecules of EADH2 when it passes into the mitochondrion-like structure.)
How many ZTP and SiO2 molecules will be formed in the complete metabolism of 1 molecule of Si 126? Show all your work in the space below. Include in your calculations appropriate silicon related names for each of the key steps.
Well, well, well, we've got ourselves a sand-munching alien! Let me grab my clown calculator and help you out with this bioenergetic pathway, my friend.
Alright, let's break this down step by step:
1. We start with one molecule of Si126 and it takes 55 ZTP molecules to convert it to 7 molecules of Si18. So far, so good.
2. Now, each Si18 molecule is broken into two, giving us a total of 14 Si7 molecules. In this process, we generate 9 ZTP molecules and 10 EADH molecules. Oh, and let's not forget those 4 SiO2 molecules that are released. Sand to glass, who would've thought?
3. Each Si7 molecule then goes through the mitochondrion-like organelle. Here, each Si7 is completely oxidized to SiO2, releasing 5 ZTP molecules, 5 EADH molecules, and 10 EADH2 molecules. Talk about a metabolic furnace!
4. Now, we need to deal with those EADH and EADH2 molecules. Each EADH is converted to 10 ZTP, and each EADH2 is converted to 5 ZTP. Keep that math coming!
Okay, let's tally up the results:
- In step 1, we used 55 ZTP molecules.
- In step 2, we generated 9 ZTP molecules and used 10 EADH molecules.
- In step 3, we generated 5 ZTP molecules, used 5 EADH molecules, and 10 EADH2 molecules.
- Finally, in step 4, we converted all 15 EADH and EADH2 molecules into ZTP molecules.
So, adding it all up, we have:
55 ZTP (from step 1) + 9 ZTP (from step 2) + 5 ZTP (from step 3) + 15 ZTP (from step 4) = 84 ZTP molecules.
And let's not forget about those precious SiO2 molecules:
From step 2, we had 4 SiO2 molecules.
There you have it! In the complete metabolism of 1 molecule of Si126, we end up with 84 ZTP molecules and 4 SiO2 molecules. That's a lot of energy production and some shiny glass to boot!
To determine the number of ZTP and SiO2 molecules formed in the complete metabolism of 1 molecule of Si 126, we need to follow the given steps and keep track of the molecules produced at each step.
1. Initial step:
- Si 126 is metabolized, using up 55 ZTP molecules, to produce 7 molecules of Si 18.
- 10 molecules of EADH are also formed.
2. Breaking down Si 18:
- Each Si 18 molecule is broken into 2 molecules, producing 9 ZTP molecules and 10 EADH molecules per Si 18 molecule.
- Each Si 18 molecule gives off 4 SiO2 molecules.
- Since we initially had 7 Si 18 molecules, they will produce a total of 7 x 2 = 14 molecules.
3. Oxidation of Si 7:
- Each Si 7 molecule is oxidized in the mitochondrion-like structure.
- 5 ZTP molecules, 5 EADH molecules, and 10 EADH2 molecules are released per Si 7 molecule.
4. Conversion of EAH:
- Each molecule of EADH is converted to 10 ZTP molecules.
- Each molecule of EADH2 is converted to 5 ZTP molecules.
- The EADH formed in step 2 is converted to EADH2, so we need to account for this conversion.
Now, let's calculate the total number of ZTP and SiO2 molecules formed in the complete metabolism of 1 molecule of Si 126:
Step 1:
- ZTP used: 55
- Si 18 produced: 7
- EADH produced: 10
Step 2:
- SiO2 produced: 4 per Si 18 molecule
- Total Si 18 molecules: 7
- Total SiO2 produced: 4 x 7
Step 3:
- ZTP released: 5 per Si 7 molecule
- EADH released: 5 per Si 7 molecule
- EADH2 released: 10 per Si 7 molecule
Step 4:
- Conversion of EADH to EADH2:
- Since each EADH molecule formed in step 2 is converted to EADH2, we had initially 10 EADH molecules. Therefore, we have 10 EADH2 molecules.
- Conversion of EADH and EADH2 to ZTP:
- Conversion of EADH yields 10 ZTP per molecule.
- Conversion of EADH2 yields 5 ZTP per molecule.
- Total ZTP: (10 x 10) + (5 x 10) = 150
Finally, let's sum up the results:
- Total ZTP molecules formed: 150
- Total SiO2 molecules formed: 4 x 7 = 28
Therefore, in the complete metabolism of 1 molecule of Si 126, 150 ZTP molecules and 28 SiO2 molecules will be formed.
To find out how many ZTP and SiO2 molecules will be formed in the complete metabolism of 1 molecule of Si 126, we need to follow the given biochemical analysis step by step. Let's break it down:
1. Start with 1 molecule of Si 126:
- In the glycolysis-like process, it is converted to 7 molecules of Si 18.
- It uses up 55 ZTP and forms 10 EADH (electron-carrying substance).
2. Each molecule of Si 18 is broken into 2 molecules, creating a total of 14 molecules of Si 7:
- This step requires the formation of 126 / 18 = 7 SiO2 molecules.
- It also forms 9 ZTP and 10 EADH molecules for each Si 18 molecule.
3. Each molecule of Si 7 goes through a cyclic process and is completely oxidized to SiO2:
- For each Si 7 molecule, it releases 4 SiO2 molecules, so for the 14 Si 7 molecules, it will release 56 SiO2 molecules.
- In this process, it also releases 5 ZTP and 5 EADH.
- Each EADH molecule formed in step 2 is converted to two molecules of EADH2, so we have 2 * 10 = 20 EADH2 molecules.
4. Each molecule of EADH is converted to 10 ZTP, and each molecule of EADH2 is converted to 5 ZTP:
- The 5 EADH molecules released in step 3 result in 5 * 10 = 50 ZTP molecules.
- The 20 EADH2 molecules released in step 3 result in 20 * 5 = 100 ZTP molecules.
Now, let's tally up the total number of ZTP and SiO2 molecules:
- From step 1: 55 ZTP and 0 SiO2
- From step 2: 9 ZTP and 0 SiO2 (per Si 18 molecule)
- From step 3: 5 ZTP and 56 SiO2 (per Si 7 molecule)
- From step 4: 155 ZTP (50 from EADH and 105 from EADH2) and 56 SiO2
Total ZTP molecules = 55 + (9 * 7) + (5 * 14) + 155 = 350
Total SiO2 molecules = (4 * 14) + 56 = 112
Therefore, in the complete metabolism of 1 molecule of Si 126, we will have 350 ZTP molecules and 112 SiO2 molecules.