Which of the following is a substance essential for maintaining life a...
Less Oxygen Content in Fat Compared to Carbohydrate
Explanation:
Carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and vitamins are all essential nutrients required by the body in varying amounts. Among these nutrients, fats contain less oxygen compared to carbohydrates. Let's understand why fats have a lower oxygen content than carbohydrates.
1. Composition of Carbohydrates and Fats:
- Carbohydrates are organic compounds made up of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O) atoms.
- Fats, on the other hand, are composed of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), and oxygen (O) atoms, but the proportion of oxygen is comparatively lower.
2. Molecular Structure:
- Carbohydrates have a general formula of (CH2O)n, where "n" represents the number of carbon atoms. The presence of oxygen in carbohydrates is relatively high due to the ratio of hydrogen and oxygen atoms being close to 2:1.
- Fats have a different molecular structure. They consist of glycerol and fatty acids. The fatty acids are long chains of carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen atoms, with only a few oxygen atoms present in the form of ester linkages.
3. Energy Storage:
- Carbohydrates are the primary energy source for the body. They are broken down into glucose molecules, which are then utilized by cells to produce energy. Excess glucose is stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen.
- Fats, on the other hand, are a more concentrated form of energy storage. They provide more than twice the amount of energy per gram compared to carbohydrates. Fats are stored in adipose tissue throughout the body.
4. Oxygen Requirement:
- During the breakdown of carbohydrates, the oxygen present in the molecule is utilized in a process called cellular respiration. Oxygen is required to fully oxidize the carbon and hydrogen atoms, releasing energy in the form of ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate).
- In fats, the carbon-hydrogen bonds are already partially oxidized. As a result, fats require less oxygen for complete oxidation compared to carbohydrates. This is why fats are considered a more efficient energy storage molecule.
Conclusion:
In summary, fats contain less oxygen compared to carbohydrates due to their molecular structure and the presence of more carbon-hydrogen bonds. Fats serve as a concentrated energy storage molecule, requiring less oxygen for complete oxidation compared to carbohydrates.
Which of the following is a substance essential for maintaining life a...
A fatty component lipids contain more carbon or hydrogen and less oxygen than carbohydrate
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