Respiration

• the role of ATP

  • respiration breaks down glucose and uses the energy to make ATP. ATP is the universal energy currency
  • ATP is hydrolysed when energy is needed
• role of ATP


  • relatively stable when in solution (doesn't break down into ADP and Pi) and can easily be moved around a cell
  • however, readily hydrolysed by enzymes
  • universal energy currency because it is used in all living cells
  • heat released in respiration and ATP hydrolysis keeps organisms warm and helps enzymes work at or near their optimum rate
• Q: type of reaction that releases energy in ATP

  hydrolysis
• Q: respiration and the breakdown of ATP releases energy. Name the type of energy released and describe what it is used for.

  • heat energy used to keep organisms warm
• ATP


  • adenosine triphosphate
• • glycolysis occurs in the cytoplasm
  • the link reaction occurs in mitochondrial matrix
  • the krebs cycle occurs in mitochondrial matrix
  • oxidative phosphorylation occurs in mitochondria using electron carrier proteins embedded in the inner membranes
• glycolysis 


  • occurs in cytoplasm
  • consists of 3 main stages

  1. phosphorylation of glucose to hexose biphosphate
  2. splitting each hexose biphosphate into 2 triose phosphate molecules
  3. oxidation of triose phosphate to make pyruvate
• coenzymes in respiration


  • ATP/ADP
  • NAD
  • FAD
  • Coenzyme A