Question

the elephants diet consists of plant material which is high in cellulose, which is a carbohydrate. collagen is a protein found in skin. skin cells are replaced every 2 weeks. the elephant needs collagen to replace and/or repair these skin cells. as a group, complete the following: 1. analyze the cellulose molecule model below. step 1 illustrates the elephant eating plant material and then magnifies it at the molecular level. a. what overall process is occurring from step 1 to step 3? b. what happens between step 2 and step 3? 2. the single molecules are small enough to be absorbed from the digestive tract into the blood. from there they can be carried to parts of the body where they can be used to make larger molecules again or be broken down for energy. conclusion questions: 1. explain the relationship between digestion time and the length and complexity of the elephants digestive tract. 2. what element is missing in the cellulose model needed to make proteins like collagen? 3. since the elephants diet consists of plant material only, where would the elephant get the missing element needed to make collagen (or any protein)?

Explanation:

1.a.

The overall process from step 1 (elephant eating plant material) to the molecular - level view is digestion. The elephant ingests plant material high in cellulose, and the body begins to break it down into smaller components at the molecular level.

1.b.

From step 1 to step 3, the plant material (cellulose) is being broken down into smaller molecules. In step 2, we see a more detailed molecular structure of cellulose, and in step 3, the cellulose is further broken down into even smaller molecular units.
Between step 2 and step 3, the cellulose polymer is being hydrolyzed into smaller sugar - like molecules. Cellulose is a polysaccharide, and through the digestive process, it is broken into monosaccharides or oligosaccharides.

Conclusion Question 1.

The longer and more complex the elephant's digestive tract, the more time there is for digestion. Since the elephant's diet is mainly plant - based with a lot of cellulose which is difficult to break down, a long and complex digestive tract allows for a longer digestion time to extract nutrients effectively.

Conclusion Question 2.

The element missing in the cellulose model needed to make proteins like collagen is nitrogen. Cellulose is composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, while proteins contain nitrogen in addition to carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

Conclusion Question 3.

Elephants can obtain nitrogen (the missing element for protein synthesis) from nitrogen - fixing bacteria in their digestive tract. These bacteria can convert atmospheric nitrogen into a form that the elephant can use, or from plant - associated nitrogen compounds that are available in the plant material they consume, such as certain nitrogen - containing organic compounds.

Answer:

1.a. Digestion of plant material at the molecular level.
1.b. Cellulose is broken down into smaller molecules; cellulose polymer is hydrolyzed into smaller sugar - like molecules.
Conclusion Question 1: A long and complex digestive tract allows for a longer digestion time to break down plant - based food effectively.
Conclusion Question 2: Nitrogen.
Conclusion Question 3: From nitrogen - fixing bacteria in the digestive tract or from plant - associated nitrogen compounds.