Biochemistry of Movement > ATP is The Energy Currency of Every Living Cell
ATP is the energy currency of every living cell
Students learn to:
- identify that adenosine triphosphate is used as an energy source for nearly all cellular metabolic processes
- explain that the biologically important part of the molecule contains three phosphate groups
- identify the role of enzymes as catalysts in the conversion of ATP to ADP with energy made available for metabolism, given a flow chart of the biochemical pathways
- explain that biochemical fuels are broken down to release energy for making ATP
- identify mitochondria as the cell organelles involved in aerobic respiration and the site of most ATP synthesis
Students:
- solve problems and process information from a diagram or model of the structure of the adenosine triphosphate molecule to discuss the nature and organisation of the phosphate groups
- process information from secondary sources to locate the site of each step of respiration in the cell
Extract from Chemistry Stage 6 Syllabus (Amended October 2002). © 2009, Board of Studies NSW.