Unless it is used quickly to do work, ATP spontaneously breaks down and the released energy is:
AStored back into glucose
BLost from the cell as heat
CConverted into fresh NADH
DRecycled into new phosphate
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: B. Lost from the cell as heat
1. ATP is an unstable carrier, not a storage depot.
2. The hydrolysis reaction is strongly exergonic and needs no prompting.
3. Unless quickly used to perform work, ATP spontaneously dissociates into ADP and Pi.
4. The free energy released during this process is lost as heat.
5. That is why cells regenerate ATP continuously rather than stockpiling it.
_Source: OpenStax Biology for AP(R) Courses (CC BY 4.0), Ch 6 'Metabolism', sections 6.1-6.5_
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