2.

1 Energy and ATP

What is energy and what is
ATP?

Learning Objectives
To learn what energy is and why organisms
need it.
To understand how the molecule ATP stores
energy.
To learn how ATP is synthesised.
To understand the role of ATP in biological
processes.

ENERGY

What is energy?
Energy is something that allows work to be done
on something else i.e. move an object or heat it
up.
Energy can exist in different forms:
Electric
Magnet Chemic
Light Heat Soun
d
al
ic
al
Energy can be changed from one form to
another:
Chemic
Electric
al
al
This leads us on to the point that energy cannot be
created or destroyed.
Energy is measured in joules (j).
With respect to biology, most of the energy used by
organisms, is stored in chemical bonds in molecules.

How is energy related to living

organisms?
In order to remain
alive, energy is required to

power the biological processes occurring

within all life forms.
This energy initially
comes
fromthis
the Sun.
Plants
harness
solar
energy, using it to combine
water and CO2 into glucose in
a process called photosynthesis.
Light

Chemic
al

Therefore, photosynthesis is responsible for locking

solar energy into molecules such as glucose.
Both plants and animals can then break down
these molecules, releasing energy, which can be
used in processes essential to life.

What do organisms do with energy?

Organisms are highly ordered, so without the
constant input of energy, these organisms will
eventually breakdown into disarray.
Active
Transport
Moveme
Metabolis
nt
m
Energy is needed
for:

Cell
Maintenance/Repai
r

Thermoregula
tion
Molecular
Synthesis

ATP

So whats ATP??
Now that we know plants are responsible for trapping
solar energy into molecules such as glucose, we
need to know how animals (and plants themselves)
benefit from this energy.
For example:
Building a chain of amino acids (into a protein)
requires energy. The bonds between each amino acid
do not form spontaneously, but require energy input.
Amino Acid 1

Amino Acid 2
Bond

Do you think this energy comes directly from the

breakdown of glucose?

NO! It doesnt.
Although glucose stores a lot of energy, it takes time to
release, via a complicated series of reactions.
This means that it is not a good source of immediate
energy.

ENTER:

ATP!!

What actually happens, is that during cellular respiration,

molecules such as glucose, are broken down, which releases
free energy.
This free energy, is used to form chemical bonds in a molecule
called ATP.
Aerobic cell respiration produces about 30 ATP molecules per
glucose.
If a reaction only requires one ATP molecule, why use a whole
glucose molecule to power it?

ATP is therefore, an energy carrier.

Understanding why ATP is important

As explained on the previous slide, reactions need
energy to occur, and the amount of energy required
by a reaction is quite specific.
Its usually way less than the amount of energy stored
in a glucose molecule so if you used glucose directly,
youd be wasting the excess energy released.
This is why we convert the energy in one glucose
molecule, to energy stored in many ATP molecules.

glucos
e
Why would you spend a whole
glucose, when you can spend a
single ATP?

Think of glucose
as your lifesavings

Think of the money

as ATP, of which
the correct amount
can be used to buy
your phone

If you wanted to go out

and buy a phone, you
wouldnt take your lifesavings with you

Instead youd
go to a cash
machine and
withdraw the
correct amount
of money

STRUCTURE AND
SYNTHESIS OF ATP

Structure of ATP
The full name of this molecule is Adenosine
Triphosphate, which as suggested by the name, has
three phosphate groups.
This bond, is the one that can
be broken to release energy for
reactions to occur.
The bond is formed in cellular
respiration, using energy
released during the breakdown
of glucose.

THREE
PHOSPHATES

ADENI
NE

RIBOS
E

Releasing energy from ATP

So when a reaction requires energy, ATP is broken down:

ATP
adenosine
(H2O)

+
water (for
hydrolysis)

ADP
+
adenosine
inorganic
+
E
diphospha
phosphate

Pi
energy

triphospha
This
energy to drive other
te hydrolysis reaction releaseste

reactions.
When the terminal phosphate is removed from ATP, the
leftover molecule only has TWO phosphates left, so is now
called adenosine diphosphate.
The phosphate that is removed, is called an inorganic
phosphate.
Yep, you guessed it. ATP can be reformed by adding Pi to ADP!

ADP
+
Pi
ATP
+
H2Othat requires
+
E this is a condensation reaction,
Notice how
energy!

The conversion of ATP into ADP is a reversible

reaction.
When this happens,
energy is released,
which can be used
to do all kinds of
useful biological
processes
When this happens,
energy is being
used to reform ATP,
which is then ready
to drive yet another
reaction.
Remember, that in the case of respiration, that energy
comes from the complex breakdown of glucose

How and Where is ATP synthesised?

Remember that forming ATP involves adding an
inorganic phosphate (Pi) to an ADP molecule.
This can happen in three ways:

1.

In photosynthesis,
ATP is produced in a
process called
PHOTOPHOSPHORYL
ATION.
This is essentially where light
is used to add the inorganic
3. phosphate
to ADP!
SUBSTRATE-LEVEL

2. In respiration, ATP is
produced in a process
called OXIDATIVE
PHOSPHORYLATION.
Within mitochondria electrons
are transported, releasing
energy to add Pi

PHOSPHORYLATION
This is when a reaction has occurred,
releasing enough energy, to combine any
nearby Pi and ADP together!

SUMMARY QUESTIONS

1. Name at least 5 forms in which energy

can exist.
2. State the First Law of Thermodynamics.
3. What is the unit energy is measured in?
4. To biologists, where is energy stored
within molecules?
5. State the ultimate source of energy in
organisms, and explain how it is
harnessed.
6. Give the 6 main functions that energy is
needed for.
7. Explain why glucose is not a good
source of immediate energy.
8. Draw and label an ATP molecule.