ATP properties Flashcards
what are the 5 properties of ATP ?
- ATP releases energy in small manageable amounts
- it is small and soluble
- it is an immediate energy source
- it can transfer energy to another molecule
- ATP can’t pass out of the cell
why does ATP release energy in small manageable amounts ?
so that no energy is wasted
if ATP can release energy is small manageable amounts so that no energy is wasted, what does that mean for the cell ?
this means that the cell does not overheat from wasted heat energy and cells are less likely to run out of resources
what is the comparison of the effect of ATP releasing small amounts of energy in cells with glucose
in comparison to glucose,
it would release large amounts of energy that could result in wasted energy
what is the benefit of ATP being small and soluble ?
it can be easily transported around the cell
how is ATP transported in cells due to being small and soluble ?
ATP can move around the cytoplasm with ease to provide energy for chemical reactions within the cell
which is a property that ATP and glucose have in common ?
the fact that they are both small and soluble so they can be easily transported
why is the energy released immediate ?
because only one bond is broken / hydrolysed to release energy
what is the comparison of glucose to ATP in terms of releasing energy ?
ATP
- only one bond has to be broken to release energy
glucose
- needs several bonds to be broken down release all its energy
how can ATP transfer energy to another molecule ?
by transferring one of its phosphate groups
what can ATP do that glucose can in terms of transferring energy ?
ATP can enable phosphorylation, making other compounds more reactive
glucose cannot do this as it does not contain phosphate groups
what is the benefit of ATP not being able to pass out of the cell ?
it makes sure that the cell always has an immediate supply of energy
what can glucose do that ATP cannot ? and what does this mean for the cell ?
glucose can leave the cell
ATP cannot
so the cell can run out of glucose
where is the useful energy stored in ?
the terminal phosphate
