ATP

Question 1

What is ATP?

Answer 1

Adenosine triphosphate. The cell’s form of energy used immediately for biological processes.

Question 2

How is ATP formed?

Answer 2

ATP is formed by the oxidisation of complex organic molecules made of H2O and CO2 during photosynthesises. The oxidisation releases energy during respiration which forms ATP.

Question 3

What does ADP mean?

Answer 3

Adenosine Diphosphate.

Question 4

How is ATP synthesised?

Answer 4

ATP is synthesised by the phosphorylation (the addition of a phosphate to an organic molecule) of ADP using the enzyme ATP synthase. Synthesis requires energy which is released by the breaking down of glucose during respiration. This energy is used to join a phosphate molecule to ADP to produce ATP.

Question 5

What are the three ways ATP is synthesised?

Answer 5

Phosphorylation (chloroplasts of plant cells during photosynthesis)
Oxidative phosphorylation (during respiration in animal/plant cells)
Substrate level phosphorylation (when phosphates from donor molecules are used during respiration in animal/plant cells)

Question 6

How is ATP hydrolysed?

Answer 6

ATP is hydrolysed by using the enzyme ATP hydrolase to release energy when the phosphate bond is broken. Easily hydrolysed as the bonds between the phosphate groups have low activation energy.

Question 7

What are the properties of ATP?

Answer 7

Universal energy carrier, used by all biological organisms.
Released in small, manageable amounts.
Released immediately in a single step reaction.
Soluble in water and cannot be stored.

Question 8

What can the inorganic phosphate do when removed?

Answer 8

Can be used to make other molecules reactive, e.g. in respiration phosphate is added to stable glucose to make it unstable and possible to break down.

Question 9

What are the functions of ATP?

Answer 9

Active transport
Synthesis reactions
Muscle contraction
Cell division
First stage of glycolysis
Light independent reactions of photosynthesis