Download Energy for the Cell: ATP

Energy for the Cell:
ATP
What is energy?

Energy is the ability to do work and
can take on many different forms
– Thermal energy
– Potential energy
– Kinetic Energy
What do we need
energy for?

All cell processes require energy:
– DNA replication and cell growth
– Metabolism
– Synthesis of compounds
– Excretion
– Active Transport
Where does energy for
life come from?

All energy for life on earth originally
comes from the sun and is converted
to sugar through photosynthesis

Plant sugars provide energy to all
other living things (food is potential
energy)
Plants
Plants are autotrophs and make their
own food through photosynthesis
 Then plants break food down to
release energy as ATP through
respiration

 Plants
do both processes!
Animals
Animals are heterotrophs and depend
on food that plants make for energy
(eat other things)
 Food that is eaten is broken down into
ATP through respiration

Money Analogy

Energy can come in different
“currencies” like money:
– Think of starch (long glucose chain) as a
$100 bill
– It can be broken down into individual
glucose molecules as $1 bills
– Through respiration, glucose is converted
to ATP as pennies
What is ATP?
ATP stands for adenosine triphosphate
 It is a usable, “change-form” of energy
 It comes broken the breakdown of
glucose during respiration

ATP Structure
Adenosine is attached to 3 phosphate
groups
 Energy is stored between bonds of
phosphates
 Breaking bonds releases energy

ATP Cycle:
ATP
ADP + P
When ATP is used, it’s broken down to
ADP (adenosine diphosphate) and a
phosphate
 Energy is released (7.3 kCal)!

Recycling of ATP
The process of using ATP can be
reversed by adding phosphate back to
ADP
 Energy use is an investment (some
things cost energy and some things
produce energy)

Food
Cashew
Marshmallow
Cheese
Puff
Compound in Initial Temp Final Temp
food
(◦C)
(◦C)
Change in
Temp (◦C)
Time
Burned