Scientists in Switzerland compared the total surface area of the small intestine in different species of bats. When the calculations were done as if the inner mucosal surface was smooth, the average surface area of the intestinal tube itself was 9.1 cm2 in one species. The surface area increased to 48 cm2 when the villi were factored in and reached a total of 0.13 m2 after adding in the membrane surface area of the microvilli. If the total number of microvilli per intestine was 4 x 1011, what was the membrane surface area of a single microvillus in their study?

Question

Maci Mcpherson

Biology

4 April, 04:44

Scientists in Switzerland compared the total surface area of the small intestine in different species of bats. When the calculations were done as if the inner mucosal surface was smooth, the average surface area of the intestinal tube itself was 9.1 cm2 in one species. The surface area increased to 48 cm2 when the villi were factored in and reached a total of 0.13 m2 after adding in the membrane surface area of the microvilli. If the total number of microvilli per intestine was 4 x 1011, what was the membrane surface area of a single microvillus in their study?

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Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Mason Steele · Answer 1

0.00000000313 cm²

Explanation:

total membrane surface area of microvillus = 1300 - 48 = 1252

membrane surface area of single microvilli = 1252 / (44 x 10^11)

= 3.13 x 10^-9