Question

Contrary to legend, camels do not store water in their humps. Camel humps actually contain large fat deposits that can serve as a source of water. Calculate the volume of water in liters that a camel can produce from 1.0 kg of fat. Assume for simplicity that the fat consists entirely of tripalmitoylglycerol.

Answer 1

Answer:

1.54 L

Explanation:

Camels use water obtained from the process of cellular respiration when they use fats as a substrate.

Suppose the fat used during respiration is Tripalmitoylglycerol which contains 3 palmitic acid or Palmitoyl-CoA attached to the esters.

The molecular weight of Tripalmitate is 807 g/mol  therefore 1000 g of fat will have 1000/807 = 1.24 moles of Tripalmitate x 3 = 3.72 moles of Palmitoyl CoA.

Now according to the Beta oxidation reaction,

Palmitoyl CoA + 23 O₂+ 108 ADP + 108 Pi --------> 16 CO₂ + 108 ATP + 23 H₂O + 8 Acetyl CoA

1.23 moles of  Palmitoyl CoA produce 23 H₂O therefore  

3.72 will produce Palmitoyl CoA will produce= 3.72 x 23 H₂O

= 85.56 H₂O molecules.

Now, 85.56 H₂O molecules will yield

= 85.56 x 18                       ( MW of water=18)

= 1541.8 g

= 1.54 L

Thus, 1.54 L is correct.