Question

A 60 kg adult consumed 0.5 mol sucrose. Can you find out the number of glycolytic pathways to completely convert 0.5 mol sucrose into pyruvate?

• A. $3.011\times {10}^{23}$
• B. $9.033\times {10}^{23}$
• C. $6.022\times {10}^{23}$
• D. $12.044\times {10}^{23}$

Answer 1

The correct option is C $6.022\times {10}^{23}$

Given: Weight of adult = 60 kg
Amount of sucrose = 0.5 mol
To find: Number of glycolytic cycles to completely convert 0.5 mol sucrose into pyruvate

1 molecule of sucrose gives 1 molecule of glucose and fructose each.


0.5 mol of sucrose will give 0.5 mol of glucose and 0.5 mol of fructose.

1 mole of glucose = $6.022\times {10}^{23}$ molecules
0.5 mol of glucose = $6.022\times {10}^{23}$ molecules X 0.5 = $3.011\times {10}^{23}$ molecules

Similarly, 0.5 mol of fructose = $3.011\times {10}^{23}$ molecules

Glycolysis or glycolytic pathway is the breakdown of a hexose (glucose or fructose) into pyruvate. In other words, 1 molecule of glucose or fructose will undergo 1 round of glycolytic pathway to form 2 pyruvate molecules.
Hence, $3.011\times {10}^{23}$ molecules of glucose will undergo $3.011\times {10}^{23}$ rounds of glycolysis.
Similarly, $3.011\times {10}^{23}$ molecules of fructose will undergo $3.011\times {10}^{23}$ rounds of glycolysis.
Since 0.5 moles of sucrose molecules = $3.011\times {10}^{23}$ glucose molecules + $3.011\times {10}^{23}$ fructose molecules.
Therefore, 0.5 moles of sucrose will undergo $6.022\times {10}^{23}$ rounds of glycolysis.