3.11 ATP

Question 1

What does ATP stand for?

Answer 1

Adenosine triphosphate

Question 2

What is ATP?

Answer 2

The energy carrier in all cells, a short-term energy store

Question 3

Describe the structure of ATP.

Answer 3

-3 phosphate groups attached to a central pentose sugar (ribose)
-On the opposite end, a base is attached to the ribose (adenine)

Question 4

What is the name for the reaction involving the breakdown of ATP?

Answer 4

Hydrolysis

Question 5

What catalyses the breakdown of ATP?

Answer 5

ATP hydrolase

Question 6

State the equation for the breakdown of ATP.

Answer 6

ATP + H2O –> Pi + ADP + E
alternatively
ATP + Water –> Inorganic Phosphate + Adenosine Diphosphate + Energy

Question 7

When does hydrolysis of ATP occur?

Answer 7

When energy-requiring reactions need to take place. Happens in association with these reactions.

Question 8

What type of nucleotide is ATP?

Answer 8

A phosphorylated RNA nucleotide

Question 9

What makes ATP a good short-term energy store?

Answer 9

The unstable phosphate bonds in ATP.

Question 10

What type of molecules are long-term energy stores?

Answer 10

Fats and carbohydrates

Question 11

When are fats and carbohydrates broken down?

Answer 11

In cellular respiration to release energy.

Question 12

What happens to the energy released from the breakdown of fats and carbs?

Answer 12

The energy released is used to create ATP, by reattaching a phosphate group to an ADP molecule.

Question 13

What is the name of the reaction that forms ATP?

Answer 13

Phosphorylation.

Question 14

State the equation for the formation of ATP.

Answer 14

ADP + Inorganic phosphate –> ATP + H2O
alternatively
ADP + Pi –> ATP + H2O

Question 14

What catalyses phosphorylation?

Answer 14

ATP Synthase

Question 15

What type of reaction is phosphorylation?

Answer 15

Condensation

Question 16

Why do cells not store large amount of ATP?

Answer 16

Because of the instability of it. ATP is rapidly reformed by the phosphorylation of ADP.

Question 17

How frequently is the interconversion of ATP and ADP happening?

Answer 17

Constantly, in all living cells.

Question 18

Where is ATP synthesised?

Answer 18

In reactions that release energy

Question 19

Where is ATP hydrolysed?

Answer 19

In reactions that need energy

Question 20

What are the 3 main types of activity that cells need energy for?

Answer 20

Synthesis, transport and movement.

Question 21

What makes ATP ideally suited to carry out its function?

Answer 21

The structure and properties of it.

Question 22

What are the properties and features of ATP?

Answer 22

-Small
-Water soluble
-Contains bonds between phosphates with intermediate energy
-Releases energy in small quantities
-Easily regenerated

Question 23

What is the purpose of ATP being small?

Answer 23

So it can easily move in, out and within cells

Question 24

Why is ATP water soluble?

Answer 24

So it can easily diffuse throughout the cell, and because energy-requiring processes happen in aqueous environments.

Question 25

Why is it important that the phosphate bonds in ATP have intermediate energy?

Answer 25

So that the energy released is large enough to be useful for cellular reactions, but not so large that energy is wasted as heat.

Question 26

What type of energy source is ATP?

Answer 26

An intermediate, immediate and short-term energy source.