Which organelle converts chemical energy stored in food into more convenient forms and is known as the powerhouse?

• A. Mitochondria
• B. Chloroplasts
• C. Golgi apparatus
• D. Cytoskeleton

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that the organelle responsible for turning energy from nutrients into a readily usable energy form is the mitochondrion. In cellular respiration, chemical energy stored in food is converted into ATP, the cell’s energy currency, through processes that transfer electrons and pump protons across membranes. The mitochondrion’s inner membrane, with its folds called cristae, provides a large surface area for the enzymes that drive this energy conversion, making ATP efficiently. That’s why mitochondria are known as the powerhouse of the cell.

Chloroplasts, by contrast, capture light energy to synthesize sugars, not to produce ATP directly from food. The Golgi apparatus packages and modifies proteins and lipids, while the cytoskeleton provides structure and transport within the cell.