Unit 4: Energy Systems Flashcards
All functions of the body require energy including muscle contraction to move the skeleton, digestion of food, respiration & repair & growth of tissues
What is the high energy molecule that all living organisms need?
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)
What is the role of ATP?
To capture chemical energy, obtained from the breakdown of food molecules, and release it to fuel other cellular processes.
What is the structure of ATP?
1 Adenosine molecule
3 Phosphate molecules
The ATP releases its energy when one of its high-energy phosphate bonds is broken and it is converted to adenosine diphosohate (ADP). When this high energy bond is broken down, energy is released.
There is a very limited store of ATP within muscles. How long does it last & how can more be made?
Approx. 1-2 seconds.
Re-synthesis of ATP comes from the breakdown of either phosphocreatine or certain nutrients in the diet I.e carbohydrates, fat & protein.
What at the 3 different energy systems that use different fuels to convert the ADP back into ATP for use by the cells?
Phosphocreatine (creatine phosphate or CP) System
Lactate system
Aerobic system
What does the CP (Creatine Phosphate) System provide for ATP?
It primarily fuels high intensity, explosive activity such as a shot put, 100m sprint or power lifting movement.
Used to initiate most movement, regardless of intensity, as it is readily available in muscle tissue & doesn’t have to wait for the heart to push oxygen to the specific areas.
CP benefits significantly from its chemical makeup, which allows it to regenerate ATP almost immediately by using its phosphate molecule. What is it?
ADP + CP = ATP + CREATINE
What is the Lactate system predominantly used for?
For high intensity exercises that lasts longer than 10 seconds e.g 400m race.
Also becomes involved in low-moderate intensity exercise when the demand for oxygen & glycogen stored in the liver cannot be met
What does the Lactate system tap into?
The stores of glycogen in the muscles to fuel ATP by breaking it down into glucose without the presence of oxygen.
What is the structure of the Lactate system?
ATP - ATP-P (loses phosphate to release energy)
- ADP (+P CP from muscle lends a phosphate to ADP) - ADP+P - Resynthesized into ATP
What does Aerobic system mean?
Aerobic simply means with oxygen and refers to the energy system that produces ATP from the complete breakdown of carbohydrates, fat & protein in the presence of oxygen.
The aerobic energy system is dominant when there is sufficient oxygen in the cells to meet the energy production requirements. What are the 2 main macronutrients that supply energy to cellular aerobic metabolism for the production of ATP?
Fat (fatty acids) & carbohydrates (glucose)
What goes in and out of the cellular respiration mitochondria?
IN - Oxygen - fatty acids - glucose
OUT - CO2 - H2O - ATP
What is MET?
Metabolic Equivalent which is the the VO2 uptake (3.5 millilitres of oxygen) per kilogram of bodyweight per minute (ml/kg/min).
What are the locations of where the ATPs are produced?
All 3 systems produce energy at cellular level but in different places.
Aerobic occurs in small subcellular structures called mitochondria (powerhouse of cells)
Anaerobic (CP & Lactate) occurs within the muscle cells, in the fluid matrix outside of the mitochondria
