Question from: Nanotechnology: Understanding Small Systems
The random motion of molecules within a cell is driven by energy from heat.
a. At what temperature do most cells prefer to live?
b. The calorie is a unit of energy defined as the amount of energy needed to raise 1 g of water by 1°C. A bacterium (which is mostly water) weighs about 1 pg.
Roughly, how many grams of sugar does a cell have to use to warm back up to its preferred temperature if it is suddenly placed in a cooler environment that lowers the cell's internal temperature by 5°C?
c. If the sugar used for energy is glucose (molecular mass = 180.16 g/mol), how many molecules are used?
d. How much mass would be used as fuel to warm the cell if, instead of sugar, fatty acids served as the energy source?