---
title: "A student studies the phosphorylation of glucose in a buffered metabolic system. In the simplified equations, \\(\\text{G}\\) represents glucose, \\(\\text{G6P}\\) represents glucose-6-phosphate, and \\(\\text{P}_{i}\\) represents inorganic phosphate. Charge-balancing proton transfers with the buffer are omitted.  | Process | Reaction | \\(\\Delta G^\\circ\\) | |—|—|—| | Glucose phosphorylation | \\(\\text{G(aq)} + \\text{P}_{i}\\text{(aq)} \\rightarrow \\text{G6P(aq)} + \\text{H}_2\\text{O(l)}\\) | \\(+14 \\, \\text{kJ/mol}\\) | | ATP hydrolysis | \\(\\text{ATP(aq)} + \\text{H}_2\\text{O(l)} \\rightarrow \\text{ADP(aq)} + \\text{P}_{i}\\text{(aq)}\\) | \\(-30 \\, \\text{kJ/mol}\\) |  Which proposed sequence correctly couples ATP hydrolysis to glucose phosphorylation and gives a thermodynamically favorable net process?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/119506/"
date_modified: "2026-08-21T17:18:31+00:00"
---

# A student studies the phosphorylation of glucose in a buffered metabolic system. In the simplified equations, \(\text{G}\) represents glucose, \(\text{G6P}\) represents glucose-6-phosphate, and \(\text{P}_{i}\) represents inorganic phosphate. Charge-balancing proton transfers with the buffer are omitted.

| Process | Reaction | \(\Delta G^\circ\) |
|—|—|—|
| Glucose phosphorylation | \(\text{G(aq)} + \text{P}_{i}\text{(aq)} \rightarrow \text{G6P(aq)} + \text{H}_2\text{O(l)}\) | \(+14 \, \text{kJ/mol}\) |
| ATP hydrolysis | \(\text{ATP(aq)} + \text{H}_2\text{O(l)} \rightarrow \text{ADP(aq)} + \text{P}_{i}\text{(aq)}\) | \(-30 \, \text{kJ/mol}\) |

Which proposed sequence correctly couples ATP hydrolysis to glucose phosphorylation and gives a thermodynamically favorable net process?

A student studies the phosphorylation of glucose in a buffered metabolic system. In the simplified equations, \(\text{G}\) represents glucose, \(\text{G6P}\) represents glucose-6-phosphate, and \(\text{P}_{i}\) represents inorganic phosphate. Charge-balancing proton transfers with the buffer are omitted.

| Process | Reaction | \(\Delta G^\circ\) |
|---|---|---|
| Glucose phosphorylation | \(\text{G(aq)} + \text{P}_{i}\text{(aq)} \rightarrow \text{G6P(aq)} + \text{H}_2\text{O(l)}\) | \(+14 \, \text{kJ/mol}\) |
| ATP hydrolysis | \(\text{ATP(aq)} + \text{H}_2\text{O(l)} \rightarrow \text{ADP(aq)} + \text{P}_{i}\text{(aq)}\) | \(-30 \, \text{kJ/mol}\) |

Which proposed sequence correctly couples ATP hydrolysis to glucose phosphorylation and gives a thermodynamically favorable net process?

- **A.** Sequence: \(\text{ATP}(\text{aq}) + \text{H}_2\text{O}(\text{l}) \rightarrow \text{ADP}(\text{aq}) + \text{P}_{i}(\text{aq})\); \(\text{G6P}(\text{aq}) + \text{H}_2\text{O}(\text{l}) \rightarrow \text{G}(\text{aq}) + \text{P}_{i}(\text{aq})\). Net \(\Delta G^\circ = -44 \, \text{kJ/mol}\).
- **B.** Sequence: \[ \text{ADP(aq)} + \text{P}_{i}\text{(aq)} \rightarrow \text{ATP(aq)} + \text{H}_2\text{O(l)} \] \[ \text{G(aq)} + \text{P}_{i}\text{(aq)} \rightarrow \text{G6P(aq)} + \text{H}_2\text{O(l)} \] Net \(\Delta G^\circ = +44 \, \text{kJ/mol}\).
- **C.** Sequence: \(\text{ATP(aq)} + \text{H}_2\text{O(l)} \rightarrow \text{ADP(aq)} + \text{P}_{i}\text{(aq)}\); \(\text{G(aq)} + \text{P}_{i}\text{(aq)} \rightarrow \text{G6P(aq)} + \text{H}_2\text{O(l)}\). Net: \(\text{ATP(aq)} + \text{G(aq)} \rightarrow \text{ADP(aq)} + \text{G6P(aq)}\), \(\Delta G^\circ = +16 \,\text{kJ/mol}\).
- **D.** Sequence: \[ \text{ATP(aq)} + \text{H}_2\text{O(l)} \rightarrow \text{ADP(aq)} + \text{P}_{i}\text{(aq)} \] \[ \text{G(aq)} + \text{P}_{i}\text{(aq)} \rightarrow \text{G6P(aq)} + \text{H}_2\text{O(l)} \] Net: \[ \text{ATP(aq)} + \text{G(aq)} \rightarrow \text{ADP(aq)} + \text{G6P(aq)} \] \[ \Delta G^\circ = -16 \, \text{kJ/mol} \]

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/119506/*