How is energy stored in ATP?
Adenosine triphosphate, also known as ATP, contains stored energy. A single molecule of ATP contains ten carbon atoms, sixteen hydrogen, five nitrogen, thirteen oxygen and 3 phosphorus atoms. The shorthand formula is C10H16N5O13P3. The last two bonds on the phosphate groups contain especially high energy and therefore are very useful for doing work within living cells. To take advantage of the high energy bonds in ATP there are within many cells a substance called ATPase. This is really an ATP splitter. It cuts off the last phosphate group of the ATP molecule turning it into adenosine diphosphate. (Note the “di-” prefix means “two”.) In the process of this splitting a great deal of energy is released and used in the cell to do work, move things and build things. When carbohydrates and other foods are consumed by the body, they also contain energy. When they are broken down, the energy is released and, in many cases, the energy is used to reattach the phosphate molecule to the ADP, turn
