AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -ATP (Adenosine tri-phosphate) is an important molecule found in all living things. Think of it as the “energy currency” of the cell. If a cell needs to spend energy to accomplish a task, the ATP molecule splits off one of its three phosphates, becoming ADP (Adenosine di-phosphate) + phosphate.

Detailed explanation-2: -ATP can be hydrolyzed to ADP and Pi by the addition of water, releasing energy. ADP can be “recharged” to form ATP by the addition of energy, combining with Pi in a process that releases a molecule of water.

Detailed explanation-3: -ADP is continually converted to ATP by the addition of a phosphate during the process of cellular respiration. ATP carries much more energy than ADP. As the cell requires more energy, it uses energy from the breakdown of food molecules to attach a free phosphate group to an ADP molecule in order to make ATP.

Detailed explanation-4: -The ATP synthase is a mitochondrial enzyme localized in the inner membrane, where it catalyzes the synthesis of ATP from ADP and phosphate, driven by a flux of protons across a gradient generated by electron transfer from the proton chemically positive to the negative side.