ATP Flashcards
What does ATP stand for?
Adenosine triphosphate
What is an ATP molecule composed of?
- Nitrogenous base
- Pentose sugar
- 3 phosphate group
What structural similarities between ATP and DNA?
Both a nucleotide
What is the difference between ATP and DNA structurally?
ATP base is always adenine, whereas DNA has 4 potential bases.
ATP has 3 phosphate groups instead of one.
Why is it useful that ATP is small?
Moves easily into, out of and within cells.
Why is it useful for ATP to be water soluble?
Energy-requiring processes happen in aqueous environment
Why is it useful that bonds between phosphates have immediate energy?
Large enough energy to be useful for cellular reaction, but not so large that energy is wasted as heat
Why is it useful that ATP releases energy in small quantities?
Quanities are suitable to most cellular needs, so that energy is not wasted as heat.
Why is it useful that ATP is easily regenerated?
Can be recharged with energy
What are the 3 activities cells require energy for?
Transport - e.g. pumping large molecules or ions across cell membrane by active transport
Movement - e.g. protein fibres in muscle cells that cause muscle contraction.
Synthesis - e.g. large molecules such as proteins
What are examples of uses of energy?
Muscle contraction,
Cell division
The transmission of nerve impulses
Memory formation
Where is energy released from?
The last phosphate group
How is energy released?
ATP is turned into ADP (adenosine diphosphate) through hydrolysis and the addition of water, which releases energy, as the last phosphate is removed.
What happens the energy from the breaking of the last phosphate group (two answers)
- Used for cellular energy demands
- Used to reattach a phosphate group to an ADP molecule, creating ATP (process of phosphorylation)
What is the process of reattaching a phosphate group to an ADP molecule called?
Phosphorylation (condensation reaction)
