Join thousands of students who trust us to help them ace their exams!Watch the first video
Multiple Choice
Which of the following is the major source of energy for animals?
A
Vitamins
B
Nucleic acids
C
Minerals
D
Carbohydrates
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the role of macromolecules in providing energy: Carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids are the primary macromolecules that animals metabolize for energy. Vitamins, nucleic acids, and minerals do not serve as major energy sources.
Recognize that carbohydrates are the most immediate and efficient source of energy for animals. They are broken down into glucose, which is used in cellular respiration to produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy currency of the cell.
Recall the process of cellular respiration: Glucose (a carbohydrate) undergoes glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation to generate ATP. This makes carbohydrates the preferred energy source for most cells.
Understand the role of other options: Vitamins and minerals are essential for various biochemical processes but do not directly provide energy. Nucleic acids are involved in genetic information storage and transfer, not energy production.
Conclude that carbohydrates are the major source of energy for animals because they are metabolized efficiently to produce ATP, which powers cellular activities.