Biology / Unit 3 Bio 0510 short lesson, about 20 seconds
ATP Hydrolysis
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The idea
ATP hydrolysis splits off ATP's terminal phosphate, producing ADP and an inorganic phosphate ion while releasing free energy the cell can put to work.
In practice
Hydrolyzing one mole of ATP under cellular conditions releases roughly 14 kilocalories, energy a cell's work-performing reactions draw on directly.
Where people slip
ATP hydrolysis is reversible — regenerating ATP from ADP costs the cell exactly the energy hydrolysis released.
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