In: Chemistry
If the concentration of ATP in an E. coli cell is 4.8 mM, how many ATP molecules are in a rod-shaped E. coli cell that is 2.1 micrometers long and 0.6 micrometers in diameter? Enter your answer to the nearest ones.
First off, calculate the approximate volume of the cell. You can estimate the volume of a rod-shaped cell as if it was a cylinder. So first calulate the area of the circular base and then multiply it times the length of the cell, as follows:
Area= π*r2 = (π)(0.3x10-6m)2 = 2.83x10-13 m2.
Volume = Area*length = (2.83x10-13 m2)(2.1x10-6m) = 5.94x10-19 m3.
Now we can change the volume units to liters, which is what we need to calculate molarity:
Now the molarity formula stands as:
M = moles of substrate /(Volume of solution)
Solve for moles of substrate: moles = M(V) =
(4.8x10-3M)(5.94x10-16L) =
2.85x10-18moles
Lastly, remember a mol of any substances has a certain number of
molecules, which is the Avogadro constant. So, just multiply that
value times the moles of ATP.
(2.85x10-18moles)(6.022x1023molecules) =
1716301.629 1,716,302
molecules of ATP