Athletes train daily to maximize energy production. If an athlete can

ATP hydrolysis is the lysis of the molecule mediated by water. It releases a phosphate group and energy. It is a reversible reaction. (a) Reversible ATP hydrolysis. (b) added energy on the left and released energy on the right.

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ATP is a significant molecule involved in many of the cellular metabolic routes. These metabolic processes can either form it or break it.

ATP provides energy to many different functions in the organism.

ATP means adenosine tri-phosphate. It is composed of adenosine (an adenine plus a ribose), and three phosphate groups.

Note: you can also find adenosine Diphosphate (two phosphates) and adenosine monophosphate (one phosphate).

Oxygens from the phosphate groups only have a single bond to phosphate (there are no hydrogen bonds).

These single bonds, known as phophoanhydrid bonds, have a negative charge and tend to repel each other, making the molecule unstable.

So phosphate groups repel each other, and a considerable amount of energy is applied to keep them united. So phophoanhydrid bonds are high energetic bonds.

The forces that keep the phosphate groups together accumulate potential energy.

If these bonds are broken, part of this potential energy would be released.

When talking about breaking the molecule, we are referring to ATP hydrolysis. And the released energy is used in different cellular processes that require energy.

ATP Hydrolysis is the molecule lysis mediated by a water molecule.

ATP + H₂O ⇄ ADP + Pi + Energy

Pi is the released inorganic phosphate group.

This is a reversible reaction, meaning that the ADP can go back to ATP.

ADP + Pi + Energy ⇄ ATP + H₂O

(a) What is this a model of?

This model represents the reversible ATP hydrolysis.

In the superior part of the image, we can see an ATP molecule composed of adenine, ribose, and three phosphate groups. The yellow star behind represents the accumulated energy.

When ATP hydrolysis, it loses a phosphate group and part of the energy that was keeping this group in the molecule.

An ADP is composed after hydrolysis. We can see this molecule in the inferior area of the image.

ADP molecule is composed of adenine, ribose, and two phosphate groups.

Because hydrolysis is a reversible process, by adding a new phosphate inorganic group and energy, we can get a new ATP.

(b) Explain how you would change the model to make it correct?

What is wrong with this model is that instead of showing released energy during the hydrolysis process, it shows energy added to the reaction.