Estimate the flow of oxygen into the cell through a side of the muscle cell squished up against the capillary. (give both moles/sec and # molecules/sec.)
To estimate the flow of oxygen into a muscle cell through a side squished up against a capillary, several factors need to be considered: the oxygen concentration gradient, the surface area available for diffusion, the diffusion coefficient, and the thickness of the diffusion barrier.
1. Determine the concentration gradient:
The difference in oxygen concentration between the capillary and the muscle cell determines the driving force for diffusion. The concentration gradient can be estimated by measuring the partial pressure of oxygen (PO2) in the capillary and the muscle cell. Let's assume a concentration gradient of 5 mmHg (millimeters of mercury) between the capillary and the muscle cell.
2. Calculate the surface area:
The surface area available for oxygen diffusion is an important parameter. The surface area of a capillary can vary, but let's assume an average value of 1 mm^2 (square millimeter) for this estimation.
3. Determine the diffusion coefficient:
The diffusion coefficient for oxygen in water can be roughly estimated as 1.9 x 10^-5 cm^2/sec.
4. Measure the diffusion barrier thickness:
The distance between the capillary and the muscle cell, where the oxygen needs to diffuse through, is a crucial parameter. This distance can vary, but let's assume an average value of 0.1 micrometers (μm) or 1 x 10^-4 cm.
Now we can calculate the estimated flow of oxygen into the muscle cell using Fick's Law of Diffusion:
Flow (moles/sec) = (Diffusion coefficient x Surface area x Concentration difference) / Diffusion barrier thickness
Flow (moles/sec) = (1.9 x 10^-5 cm^2/sec x 1 mm^2 x 5 mmHg) / (1 x 10^-4 cm)
To convert moles to molecules, you need to multiply the flow in moles by Avogadro's number (6.022 x 10^23 molecules/mole).
Flow (# molecules/sec) = Flow (moles/sec) x Avogadro's number
By plugging in the values into the equation, you can calculate both the flow of oxygen in moles/sec and the flow in # molecules/sec.