1. CELLULAR ENERGY
EQ: What is the energy carrying molecule and why is it important for life?

2. All Living Organisms Need Energy to Survive
Living organisms use energy for:
Synthesis (Means: to produce;building body parts)
Reproduction
Transporting materials in and out of cells
Movement
Temperature Control (endothermic organisms)
Which of the above processes require the most energy?

3. Where do Organisms Get The Energy They Need?
Autotrophs—Convert sun’s energy to chemical energy (glucose) through photosynthesis
Heterotrophs—Eat food that contains chemical energy (glucose)
BUT—our cells cannot use glucose!! They need to convert the energy in glucose into another type of energy.
What is that energy called?!

4. Analogy
Oil contains chemical energy, but it must be converted to gasoline before it can be used in a car.

5. Analogy (cont’d)
Glucose (food) contains chemical energy, but it must be converted to ATP (another type of energy) before our cells can use it.
In other words, ATP
Is the “gas” our cells run on.
ATP

6. Adenosine Tri-phosphate ATP works like a rechargeable battery.

7. Energy is created by converting ATP to ADP.
Adenine
Energy is created by converting ATP to ADP.
3 Phosphates
Ribose P P P
Adenosine

8. Now the battery is uncharged!P = P

9. Likewise, by combing a third phosphate group, ADP can be converted to ATP. Now the battery is charged again! P = P P

10. In Essence, all you are doing is recharging your ATP.
Because in order to do anything—flexing muscles, thinking, whatever –your immediate source of energy is ATP. Z Z Z Z Z