Monday, September 28, 2009

ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) is known as the "energy currency" of our body. ATP is a high energy molecule that stores energy we need to do every thing we do on a daily basis. As well as being in every cell in our body (in the cytoplasm and nucleoplasm) it is in every other animal/plant. An estimated 20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 molecules of ATP is formed in humans every day. In an ATP molecule three phosphate groups are held together by oxygen with a negative charge (normally). Seeing as these atoms are missing a protron the electrons want to find another proton, so the negative charges constantly are trying to get away making it have a lot of potential energy.


QUESTIONS:

1) how does ATP store energy??
2) how much ATP is used in the body daily??
3) what gives ATP its energy storing capability??

3 comments:

  1. answer to question 3 In an ATP molecule three phosphate groups are held together by oxygen with a negative charge

    ReplyDelete
  2. the phosphate group on the far left breaks off when an enzyme tell it to do so the reaction releases energy.

    ReplyDelete
  3. About 1020 molecules per second equivalent to a turnover rate of ATP of using 65 kg per day.

    ReplyDelete