Which of the Following is True Regarding Energy Production and Storage

Question

Which of the following is true regarding energy production and storage in plants and animals?
A) Plant and animal cells make starch for long-term energy storage.
B) Most of the ATP in a plant cell has been generated in the chloroplast and transported to other parts of the cell.
C) Oxidation of one gram of starch releases more energy than oxidation of fat, but since starch absorbs a lot of water, it is not as efficient as fat in energy storage.
D) Animals, but not plants, can store fats in the form of triacylglycerol (triglyceride).
E) Plant seeds often contain large amounts of fats and starch.

Accepted Answer

Compared to the polysaccharides glycogen (in animals) and starch (in plants), fat is more efficient as a long-term energy storage both per gram and per volume. It can be stored as triglycerides in both plants and animals, although the types of fatty acids vary. In plant cells, chloroplasts generate sugars that can be oxidized by the mitochondria to generate ATP for the cell. The ATP produced in the chloroplast by photosynthesis cannot be transported out of that organelle.