Which pair of molecules contains the greatest amount of stored energy?
A - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 10 - 2018 - Paper 1
Question 10
Which pair of molecules contains the greatest amount of stored energy?
A. NADH and ATP
B. NAD+ and ATP
C. NAD+ and ADP
D. NADH and ADP
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Which pair of molecules contains the greatest amount of stored energy?
A - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 10 - 2018 - Paper 1
Step 1
A. NADH and ATP
96%
114 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
To determine which pair of molecules contains the greatest stored energy, we need to consider the energy content of each molecule.
NADH is a high-energy electron carrier involved in cellular respiration and photosynthesis. Each NADH molecule can potentially yield about 2.5 ATP during oxidative phosphorylation.
ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is the primary energy currency of the cell. It stores energy in its high-energy phosphate bonds.
When comparing NADH and ATP, NADH contains more potential energy because it can generate multiple ATP molecules upon oxidation.
Step 2
B. NAD+ and ATP
99%
104 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
NAD+ (the oxidized form of NADH) does not hold as much energy as its reduced form. ATP, while it is high-energy, is not sufficient alone when paired with NAD+ to surpass the energy provided by NADH.
Step 3
C. NAD+ and ADP
96%
101 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
NAD+ is low-energy compared to its reduced form, and ADP (adenosine diphosphate) contains even less energy compared to ATP. This pair clearly has a lower energy content.
Step 4
D. NADH and ADP
98%
120 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
While NADH is a high-energy molecule, ADP contains significantly less energy than ATP. Therefore, this pair also does not store as much energy as NADH and ATP.
