Energy storage, Biology

Assignment Help:

Energy Storage

As we said above, food intake and energy expenditure for animals is approximately equal. If energy expenditure exceeds food intake, then the excess energy is taken up by utilisation of body fat. However, if food intake is excess, then the surplus is stored as fat irrespective of the kind of food eaten. Excess carbohydrates are changed to fats and accordingly RQ exceeds 1. This is because fats contain relatively less oxygen and the excess oxygen of carbohydrates is used in the metabolism. This reduces the oxygen uptake and the respiratory carbon dioxide, oxygen ratio is increased. For this reason fat is ideal storage material for energy. It is much lighter and yields twice as much energy as carbohydrates.

Migratory birds that may have to fly more than 1000 km non-stop, carry fat as 40% to 50% of their body weight. Nonetheless, some carbohydrates are important in energy storage. Glycogen a starch-like carbohydrate polymer is stored as granules in the skeletal muscles and liver of vertebrates. During heavy muscular exercise when blood does not deliver sufficient oxygen to meet demands, glycogen provides the energy. It is broken down directly into glucose-6-phosphate, providing fuel for carbohydrate metabolism more directly than does fat, On the other hand, many animals that do not move about, also store glycogen as excess energy source. For example, clams, oysters and many intestinal parasites like Ascaris use glycogen as the storage material. These animals have to face anaerobic conditions and in such situations glycogen breaks down to acetic acid to yield energy.


Related Discussions:- Energy storage

Importance of the emergence of seeds in the plant kingdom, Q. What is the e...

Q. What is the evolutionary importance of the emergence of seeds in the plant kingdom? The evolutionary significance of the seed is related to the plant capability of distant c

Amoebae- parasitic protozoan, Amoebae- Parasitic Protozoan The amoebae...

Amoebae- Parasitic Protozoan The amoebae of the genus Entamoeba vary in their biology. Entamoeba histolytica or the dysentery amoeba occurs as a parasite in the large intestin

Digestion of food materials, DIGESTION OF FOOD MATERIALS Digestion, you...

DIGESTION OF FOOD MATERIALS Digestion, you know, involves  the mixing of  food, its movement through the digestive tract and chemical breakdown of the large ntolecules of  food

What are the three periods into which interphase, Q What are the three peri...

Q What are the three periods into which interphase are divided? Interphase is the preceding phase to the mitotic division. It is divided into three periods, G1, S and G2 the le

Poly-functional enzymes, Bi-and Poly-Functional Enzymes These enzymes a...

Bi-and Poly-Functional Enzymes These enzymes are generated by genes obtained by fusion of the coding regions of two or more genes encoding various enzymes. In simple words, the

Photosynthesis carbon dioxide, Q. Why is it said that during photosynthesis...

Q. Why is it said that during photosynthesis carbon dioxide is improved to form glucose? During photosynthesis carbon dioxide is energetically improve with hydrogen from water.

Define distribution of body iron in different compartments, Define Distribu...

Define Distribution of body iron in different compartments? In humans, the total quantity of iron in the body varies with haemoglobin concentration, body weight, gender and the

How successful are you at synthesizing genes, How successful are you at syn...

How successful are you at synthesizing genes with really high G/C content? A: We have an extremely low failure rate, which is about one out of five thousand or ten thousand gen

How is the blood typing concerning the abo system, How is the blood typing ...

How is the blood typing concerning the ABO system and the Rh usually done? In a blood typing for the ABO system and the Rh system a blood sample is collected from the person an

Crown and bridge remover, Crown and bridge remover - Nash\Taylor tempo...

Crown and bridge remover - Nash\Taylor temporary crown remover -morell remover -position the curved tip below the height of contour or at the margin of the crown -Apply seve

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd