Complete oxidation of glucose releases nearly 2880 kJ per mole, yet a bag of table sugar sits unchanged on a shelf for years. Which statement reconciles these observations?

Question

Accepted Answer

C. The activation energy barrier for oxidizing intact glucose is enormous, so the change is thermodynamically favorable yet kinetically stalled until an enzyme provides an easier path

Answer

Sugar contains less total bond energy than surrounding air, so nothing drives a reaction

Answer

Combustion proceeds only at extreme pH values never found in ordinary storage

Answer

The activation energy barrier for oxidizing intact glucose is enormous, so the change is thermodynamically favorable yet kinetically stalled until an enzyme provides an easier path

Answer

The 2880 kJ figure measures synthesis cost rather than oxidation yield

Complete oxidation of glucose releases nearly 2880 kJ per mole, yet a bag of table sugar sits unchanged on a shelf for years. Which statement reconciles these observations?

Explanation

Core Concept

Correct Answer

More Unit 3: Cellular Energetics practice questions