[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” separator_top_type=”none” separator_top_height=”50px” separator_top_angle_point=”50″ separator_bottom_type=”none” separator_bottom_height=”50px” separator_bottom_angle_point=”50″ style=”margin: 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]The Biochemistry of Movement > 9.7.1. ATP is the energy currency of every living cell > A Molecule Contains Three Phosphate Groups >[/cs_text][cs_text style=”color: #800000;font-family: “Oxygen”,sans-serif;”]Explain that the biologically important part of the molecule contains three phosphate groups[/cs_text][cs_text]
- ATP consists of a base (Adenine in this case), a ribose (sugar) and a phosphate chain.
- The phosphate chain is the key to the activity of ATP. The phosphate groups are broken away through the process of hydrolysis.
- Hydrolysis: When one phosphate group is dismissed via hydrolysis, Adenosine Diphosphate (ADP) is left behind and a significant amount of energy is produced. • This phosphate chain is considered to be the biologically important part of the molecule because it is the site of the energy producing reaction.
- The ATP molecule is often compared to a bank account or battery. This is because the molecule can recycle itself into ATP again after it has become ADP, simply by picking up another phosphate.
[/cs_text][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]