A scientist observed that during the course of a chemical reaction in a tissue culture of animal muscle cells, the number of ATP molecules produced was greatly reduced. What did the scientist most likely hypothesize from the observation?
a
oxygen availability became limited
b
oxygen availability increased
c
carbon dioxide availability increased
d
carbon dioxide availability became limited
a) oxygen availability became limited
The scientist most likely hypothesized that option a) oxygen availability became limited.
To determine the most likely hypothesis from the observation, we can take a logical approach based on the information provided.
The scientist observed that the number of ATP molecules produced during a chemical reaction in a tissue culture of animal muscle cells was greatly reduced. ATP is the primary source of energy in cells, and its synthesis is directly linked to cellular respiration.
Based on this information, the scientist most likely hypothesized that oxygen availability became limited (option a). This is because cellular respiration requires oxygen to efficiently produce ATP through oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondria. When oxygen availability is limited, cells undergo a process called anaerobic respiration, which is less efficient and produces fewer ATP molecules compared to aerobic respiration. Therefore, a reduced ATP production suggests that the cells were not getting enough oxygen, leading to decreased aerobic respiration and ATP synthesis.